


The Light of the Abyss

by Sandentwins



Category: Taiyou no Ko Esteban | Les Mystérieuses Cités d'or | The Mysterious Cities of Gold
Genre: Atlantis, Bisexual Disaster Esteban, Cannibalism, Comfort, Deep Sea Diving, Drowning, Fluff, Gender-Neutral Civilization, Lost Empire, season 4 speculation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-20
Updated: 2021-03-02
Packaged: 2021-03-09 21:56:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 40,122
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27643097
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sandentwins/pseuds/Sandentwins
Summary: The people of Atlantis are stubborn. When destruction faces their land, they'll survive it out of spite, even in the direst of conditions.For the first time in ten thousand years, people from the surface meet those of the abyss. From this unlikely encounter, many new things might bloom forth, including some that might change the children's lives forever.
Relationships: slight Esteban/Original Character
Comments: 2
Kudos: 3





	1. Back to Where it All Began

The scenery all around would have been beautiful, were it not so dark and gloomy. In the darkness of the night-like ocean, it was very difficult to make out anything that wasn't directly illuminated by the vehicle's light beams. It felt like another world, one full of mystery and fright.

It wasn't the first time the children had traveled underwater. Esteban still recalled their crossing of the seas south of Japan aboard the Thallios, a time during which they've discovered so many beautiful wonders. He's seen the endless blue of the sea from a galleon's perspective, but never would he have guessed it concealed so many fishes and plants. Yet thinking back on that joyous promenade quickly brought back the reality of their current journey, and the distasteful comparison that a few miles of difference in depth could create.

This part of the sea was black. They were currently so deep into the ocean that sunlight couldn't pierce through the water, leaving them in near-complete darkness wherever they stepped. Along with light, it felt as if all life was drained out of the scenery as well: no colorful fish, no corals or kelp to add more colors to the environment. It made sense, of course, but it still felt uncanny. It felt wrong, it felt weird, and most of all, it felt puzzling. There could be nothing down there, so why was the Kalium intent on leading them deeper and deeper still?

“Are you _sure_ we're on the right path?”, Esteban asked, a little impatient.

“Well, we're on a path.”, Tao shrugged, quickly glancing at the commands. “Now, whether it's the right one...nobody can tell.”

The commands still refused to free themselves, showing that the vehicle did know where it was going. But no map, no indication, nothing was showing them what exactly was its goal. Nothing but the slight noise of the key as it was following its beacon, hidden somewhere in those seas.

“I don't know what we're doing here.”, Tao sighed after a moment. “This is just too weird. What are we even chasing?”

“It can't be a City.”, Zia commented, breaking from her contemplation of the ship's systems. “I mean...two Cities hidden underwater? That seems a little redundant.”

“Maybe they just ran out of ideas.”

Maybe. So far, nothing had come to show them the location of the seventh City of Gold, no map or clue or anything. Only some coordinates, that they unfortunately couldn't read as well as Mendoza would have. Was this vehicle currently leading them to their next clue? Perhaps it did, or perhaps they were getting sidetracked by nonsense. But at least they were getting somewhere, and that was all that mattered.

What could be hiding, down and deep in the ocean? Some obscure temple or laboratory used for science experiments? The grave of another eminent sage or savant of the times of Mu? Something stranger still, that they'd never have seen before? At this point, Esteban was ready for anything. Anything could be possible, in this quest that'd drive them all across the world.

From Spain, across the Atlantic to the Americas, and then on to Asia, India and Persia. They've then seen Egypt, Greece, and followed this trail west along the Mediterranean coast, to the Atlantic again. They've completed a full loop, in a little more than two years. And now, they were still going, still without a clue as to why or where. 

But at least, they were going forward. And that's all that mattered.

Esteban gazed outside, but found nothing to put his eyes on. The Kalium had pretty lovely bay windows, that allowed them to take in all the sights of the deep ocean all around them as it progressed on the sea floor: its crab legs were moving slowly, streaking the landscape with movement that distracted them from the bleak nothingness. There were no fish in sight, none that Esteban knew of at least. Life at these depths was scarce, and the only creatures they've managed to see were strange monsters of unknown features. In such darkness, even innocent fish were taking on allures of demons and mythical creatures. It wouldn't surprise him that they started attacking the ship like hellish fiends any moment now. 

The Kalium turned around a stone column, and its light beams revealed a vast field of rocks grown over with pale moss. Did plants manage to survive even at these depths? Well, all these monster fishes had to feed on _something_. Life had crazy ways to strive, even in the darkest of seas. Esteban leaned against the glass pane, watching the seagrass drift in the slight current. It could almost pass for actual grass in a land field, he thought, were it not bleached by the Kalium's strong light. Perhaps it would be the only sun that these plants would see in a…

“...”

He squinted, and leaned a little. 

“Something's the matter, Esteban?”, Zia asked, watching him.

“...nothing. Thought I saw something.”

She quirked a brow, looking outside as well.

“Another 'sea monster' that frightened you?”

“Don't make a running joke out of that.”

“I would never.”, she grinned.

Esteban chuckled in return, but his eyes were drawn back to the scenery. Nothing but rocks, moss and water for leagues on end. Nothing else, and likely nothing pertaining to their quest at all. 

But yet they've been led here. 

“Maybe it's a sunken ship.”, he pondered. “It was carrying an important treasure of Mu, and now it's at the bottom of the ocean. That's what drew the Kalium in.”

“That's entirely possible. But that doesn't explain why no one tried to recover it before. The Kalium was right on the coast, has no one attempted it?”

“They needed the key.”, Tao noted, pointing to the key inserted in the dashboard. “And they couldn't get it, since it was in the mountain City.”

“That feels a little counter-productive. If the Kalium came from here, how did the key end up on top of Mount Olympus?”

“Everything always ends up in unlikely places. I thought you'd knew it by now.”

Esteban simply shrugged. He'd normally tried to think of a comeback, but something outside had caught his attention again. He's been looking at a patch of seagrass, barely lit by the Kalium's light...and in a moment, it seemed to have _moved away_. Had something uprooted it? It didn't look like it. But then again, it was hard to make out anything in this darkness. Whatever was lurking out there probably counted on it.

No, come on. That was stupid. Nothing could lurk out there, nothing but near-blind fishes. That was maybe a fish, nothing more.

And yet...and yet something felt off. He wasn't sure what, or how, but it did. It was dark and bleak all around, but for some reason, the light of the Kalium was reaching further than it did before. Was it an illusion? He started hoping it wasn't, for such phenomenons could very well mean they were drawing to a close.

“I...I think we're getting close.”, he said out of nowhere.

“You think?”, Tao asked. “Cause I've been thinking that for the past hour now, and still nothing.”

Zia stood up from her seat, and went to take a better look of the outside. Darkness, darkness and darkness still. 

“We must be very deep into the ocean.”, she said. “There's nothing around here.”

From the corner of his eye, Esteban swore he's seen something move.

“Are there...any signs of life?”, he asked tentatively.

“I can't feel any. Not even yours. The depth must be messing with my head.”

Maybe it was messing with his head too. It'd explain these impressions he was seeing. But past another rock formation, the grass _darted_ again, and this time he was sure he wasn't going mad.

“There! Did you see it?”

“See what? There's nothing.”

“I saw it! There, in the moss!”

“Maybe it was a fish. We're not exactly subtle.”

“I told you I've seen something! It was...it's way too big to be a fish!”

But then, what could it be? He almost stuck his face to the front window, squinting to see as best as he could, and that's where it struck.

In a split second, something hit against the glass, so fast it made Esteban fall back. The noise it made when it hit and bounced against the window pane was unmistakeable; luckily, the orichalcum glass stopped its course without getting as much as a dent, and the foreign object simply floated in lost momentum before slowly falling onto the Kalium's front.

In the light of the cabin that spread from the windshield, there was no mistaking it. It was something thin and long, with a sharp end. Was it...a bone? 

Another hit. And another. One after the other, more of these foreign objects came to strike the Kalium, always failing to pierce it. Some of them fell out of sight, one even broke in half under the impact. And each time, it startled the kids some more.

“What's going on?”

“Alert, alert!! Rrk!!”

“Are the rocks collapsing on us!?”

“Those are not rocks. Look!”

Another one landed on the window, falling on its side in a way where the children could see it. 

“That's...that's a bone. A sharp one!”

It was not just a sharp bone: the tip has been _sharpened_. Maybe shark's teeth did the job while crushing some sunken animal's carcass to pieces...but there was no explaining the marks all around it. No shark's bite could ever produce spiral engravings.

But then, another one shot at them, and it felt like they understood what was going on.

“It's not a bone either. It's an _arrow_.”

“A...an arrow? But...”

“But we're in the middle of the ocean!!”

Esteban quickly turned around, and slammed his hands on the dashboard. He removed the guiding key from its slot, and the controls of the Kalium sprang back out. Getting a hold of the beast, he turned it in a way that it shot its light onto where the _projectiles_ were coming from. And quick as he was, this time he definitely saw it.

Whatever saw away in the sudden light was way too big to be a fish. They were fast, and he didn't catch a good look of them; but the shape of their silhouettes left no mistake. Esteban steered the legs around and followed them, followed these creatures and his intuition, as crazy at it was. 

“There's no way...”, Zia whispered. “Was...was that…?”

“There's no way it's possible!”

But maybe there _was_ a way. They've descended all the way down here, to where no light or air ever comes, to find something unknown hidden a long, long time ago… Echos of “what if?” kept going through his brain, unstoppable and determined, as his thoughts faced against every single rebuttal to keep going and finding this absurd idea that he felt might as well be absolute.

There was no way, _and yet..._

Whatever they were chasing was fast. Not even sailors could swim that fast, as fast as fish in a hurry to flee. No human people on Earth could move that swiftly in the water. They couldn't turn that sharply, slither between rocks, hide through seagrass and moss. _They couldn't live this deep, this far._ There was no way, and yet, _and yet_ he was seeing it happen.

They turned and moved and fled, like fish escaping sharks. And bent on pursuing them and finding out the truth, Esteban barely noticed what was going on all around. All around, the rocks and columns and structures were growing in numbers, increasing in size. All around, everything was slowly growing brighter, like a gentle light had taken a hold of the sea floor. And there was no way to know where it came from or how it could be, until the Kalium moved past another fallen rock.

It was so bright that for a moment, it blinded the children. But that light remained soft in the darkness surrounding it, entrancing as it was. This time, the Kalium moved on its own and kept walking, as if guided by this ocean light, as if it were chasing it. It drew everything to it like the bait of a predator fish, and yet Esteban _wanted_ to be drawn by it. He hurried the pace, and the crab-like tank scurried faster on the rocks and debris, without anything could stop it.

It was a bubble made of light, that shone in the dark like a luminous pearl. Untouched by grass and water, it looked half-buried in the ground, and as they got closer they could see just how big it was. The fuzziness of the water parted a little more with every step, and the children discovered with bated breath that it was not a mere bubble, but a gigantic dome nestled between ruins. And under its glowing walls, the characteristic silhouette of a town could very well be seen.

As they came closer to it, they could see more and more of the landscape bathed in its gleam. These were unmistakeably ruins, sunken houses and temples overgrown with plants and eaten to the currents. But the town inside the dome looked like it was still standing, and the reason why soon appeared before them.

The two creatures from earlier swam up, standing against the light of the city. This time, there could be no mistake: their features were obscured, but they still showed the shape of arms, legs, clothing. There were not fish; this glowing city was not a ruin. Esteban pressed closer, stepping over broken stone bricks, and for a moment the silhouettes disappeared.

“...are you seeing what I'm seeing?”, Tao said, breaking the contemplating silence that had settled.

“It can't be. Are those... _people?_ ”

“So far down under the sea? That can't be...”

And yet… Esteban glanced at the city, at the town hidden under its glowing dome, and questions raced through his mind even faster than before. It couldn't be, but...what if it could? What if it _were?_ Could such a thing be possible, here and now?

The silhouettes reappeared, still keeping distant. Esteban tried to make out their features, but with their back to the light, it was impossible. That's when one of them moved closer, swimming in a strange manner that still looked human. Esteban let go of the commands, trying to keep the ship as still as possible. 

“It can't be...”, he muttered. “But...what if it _were?_ ”

And, in turn, he got closer. He walked inside the cabin, closer to the glass, trying to see what was coming their way. 

“Be careful.”, Zia pleaded. “They shot at us!”

“I know.”

But they were safe here, inside the vehicle. Nothing could break it, and they would be fine. Gently, Esteban's hand touched to the glass, just above his head, and he tried to make out the moving shadow in the water. But he couldn't see anything, besides his own reflection. It was way too dark.

And that's when something came into the light. Hesitant, strange, yet recognizable. Slowly, very slowly, this other hand touched to his own, separated by a mere inch of glass. Esteban opened wide eyes, looking above him, and the light of the cabin eventually illuminated this unknown creature.

It had a face. A face not unlike his own. It had eyes, and ears, and a nose, and- and it had hands, and an arm, and legs, and it had eyes that were looking, looking at _him _… He looked back into them, and the creature held his gaze- but it was not a creature, it was...it was _someone._ There were _people_ , this deep into the sea, and these people have found them.__

__A moment passed, during which nothing happened. Esteban looked at this person, and the person looked at him with just as much amazement and wonder. Their face had odd markings on it, but it was hard to make out their shape and color in the water. But a movement of the Kalium made the stranger draw away, and swim out of reach. The touch broken, Esteban returned to reality, and watched them swim away; but they stopped after a moment, and turned around. In the faint light, Esteban saw their arm move, in a beckoning gesture._ _

__“I...I think they want us to follow them.”, he pondered._ _

__The shadows eventually swam away, towards the glowing dome. Someone else took the commands, and the Kalium resumed moving as Esteban watched ahead, still flabbergasted by what had just transpired._ _

__Soon, they arrived at the dome's level, and behind the fuzziness they could see some motion. The stranger broke through the wall and came into the bubble, before coming back out again and swimming up. Whatever this surface was made of, it could be passed through; very carefully, Tao maneuvered the Kalium to walk through it. There was a slight resistance, but it felt the exact same as back when they were leading the Thallios inside the third City. A wall that kept water away, yet let people and machines pass through._ _

__Gravity became heavier, and that's how they knew they were back on solid land. There was air all around, and water started dripping down the crab's field of vision as it readjusted to the pressure. It then folded its legs and got lower to the ground, allowing the children to see their surroundings better. There was noise, the unmistakeable commotion of a _crowd_ growing louder. And it was very, _very_ hard for Esteban to resist._ _

__So he didn't. As soon as he could, he opened the hatch, and came down the side of the tank. His eyes met many others, human others, that gazed at him with just as much amazement._ _

__People. People of various ages and builds, clad in what seemed like fur and wearing seagrass in their hair. They all looked so strange, so uncanny, but there was no mistake. They were definitely human, and by the looks of it, they were asking themselves the same question about the three kids too._ _

__Behind them, the town was standing. A citadel of stone and light, risen from the water and protected by this giant bubble. A town of people that have maybe never seen the sunlight before._ _

__“Where are we?”, Zia's voice asked behind him._ _

__Slowly, one of them stepped forward. Esteban couldn't be sure, but he thought he recognized them as the one who led them here. The one he's seen right outside. They looked at the group, still amazed and confused; but then, their face lightened up with a bright smile._ _

__“Welcome, friends.”, they spoke in a soft voice. “Welcome to Nemishta. The City in the Abyss.”_ _

__And as if they've been waiting for that signal, the crowd broke into cheers._ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I kiiiiiind of know where I'm going? Knowing me, it'll become an unlikely mess again. But that's okay. You'll see.


	2. Ten Thousand Years of Separation

It barely felt real at all, and yet it was happening right in front of them.

There were people. So far, so deep into the ocean, where the light didn't reach and the pressure was crushing. There were people, and they were many: there was a whole city of them, a whole crowd gathered around the Kalium to greet them. For they were _greeting_ , they were cheering, they were...they were happy to see them!

Without Esteban could say anything, a pair of arms tightly wrapped around him, in an embrace that surprised him greatly. What strength! He couldn't even see who did it, until it receded and the face from earlier smiled at him with that same ear-to-ear blissful grin.

Now that they were much closer, Esteban could see his face better. Her face? It was hard to tell. It was...it was a human face, alright, and what he thought were odd markings were actually tattoos of some sort. His skin was a little odd, fair in places and dark in others, like he's seen on some animals. His hair looked unusually thick and stiff, like grass or straw. But most uncanny were his eyes, for they were big, shimmering and golden. Real golden eyes, just like his own. 

The stranger smiled again, and Esteban turned his head away bashfully. He looked at the crowd, at his friends who were also getting embraces and praise for some reason. It was a real welcome party! Everyone looked so happy, and they were not afraid to show it. It felt a little corny to say that, but Esteban felt as if their very cheer and joy made the place warmer than the sun's light ever could. 

Wait, how come this place was warm? And...and how come they were breathing air? _And how come there were people in the depths of the ocean!?_ He turned to the stranger, still confused, and the latter likely understood it.

“The...the City in the Abyss?”, Esteban repeated, a little confused. “How come...how can…?”

It was obvious he was confused, but the stranger didn't seem to understand why. As if Esteban's words still carried a hint of mystery, of language barrier that wasn't quite broken through. Instead, he simply gestured for them to come, to follow the crowd into town. Into Nemishta, the place of all questions.

It was beautiful. Obviously, it was built using what materials were available under the sea: stone, clay and even hide made up these little tower-like houses that rose from flooded streets. Instead of roads, there were shallow canals filled with surprisingly clean water, where seagrass gently drifted and tiny fish swam. Light was coming from long poles anchored into the ground, at the end of which were what looked like large oil lamps burning in a yellowish hue. The air smelled of salt, of kelp, of the sea shore: it was like any other seaside village, except that there were no boats in sight.

“Look at this!”, Zia gasped.

Esteban followed her gesture, and looked up to the sky. The dome protecting the city was see-through, and on the other side of that gently gleaming wall, they could see all sorts of creatures swimming. Where the sea had seemed bleak and empty a moment ago, there were now fishes of all kinds, squids and many more creatures he couldn't name. It was as if they were attracted by the light as well, as if they too were astonished by this scenery that came from another world. And it was beautiful, more beautiful than any clouds in the surface sky. 

“It's a miracle...”, Esteban gasped in turn.

Next to him, the young stranger noticed his expression, and let out a little chuckle.

“You like...fish?”, he asked, still with that hesitant tone.

“I've never seen fish swimming _above_ my head!”

“That's the kind of scenery you'd expect in a sub-marine ship.”, Tao commented behind them. “Not in a town.”

And what a town it was! Some of these stone houses were overgrown with moss and marine plants, giving them the impression that they were fully part of nature. As if they've been here for so long that they've integrated into the ecosystem.

“How long has it been standing here?”, Esteban asked. “How long...and how even did you get here?”

“That is many questions. But...we will answer. Don't fear.”

He wasn't fearing. Despite the strange situation he was in, Esteban felt oddly at ease.

Soon, they arrived in what looked like a main square, a raised platform of stone with already quite a gathering. It seemed that all the people in this city looked similar: they all had the same grass-like hair, the same piebald skin and golden eyes. Some barely looked human at all, but they all shared some aspects that left no doubts as to their kinship. They were people, but they were...it was hard to say. Guess he just wasn't used to such a sight, even though he's been all over the world and met people of many appearances. He knew the drill: he'd be surprised the first few times, and then not even look twice and just accept it. 

Their clothes were simple. The air was warm, and yet they all wore coats or garbs of short, glossy fur. What kind of fish had fur? He heavily doubted there was any cattle here, or crops for that matter. The idea of surviving so deep into the ocean was just impossible to him. And yet he was wrong, but he just couldn't conceive how.

It seems that their group had been expected. From the crowd that was waiting for them, someone stood forward. And just by the amount of seashells and coral jewels decorating their garb, it was obvious they were a person of status. Esteban couldn't help but feel humbled by their presence alone, and a quick glance at his friends told them they felt the same.

“Welcome, my friends.”, the person said, in a trembling but certain voice that told their age and might. “Come, do sit. We will not hurt you.”

Several others sat down, to which the kids decided to do the same. Slowly, the elder sat down as well, facing them in the middle of what did look like a public forum.

“We...apologize for the meager welcome. We have never received anyone before.”

“It was anything _but_ meager.”, Zia remarked. “On the contrary!”

The old lady smiled, endeared. All around, Esteban could feel many others staring at them, like curious people around strange new animals. And maybe that wasn't so far off the truth.

“What is this place?”, Esteban finally asked. “How...how did it get here? How can there be people at the bottom of the ocean?”

“It is a long story.”, the elder sighed. “The Abyss has a long history, one that is sad and cruel. We did not choose to be here.”

He gulped, feeling how exactly this would be likely to turn out.

“Did you...build this city?”, Tao asked.

“Our...ancestors were the ones that built it. In a far, lost time, when they were living under the sky and over the water. And it was a beautiful city.”

The elder's gaze turned grim.

“But one day, the skyfire struck. The Beast of Destruction spat its fire at us, and it broke the land into pieces. And the land we called our home disappeared into the sea.”

A beast that shot fire so strongly that it could destroy a country. It felt like something out of a legend, but they've seen such things before. And those words...the “skyfire” that brings destruction, they've already heard them. There was something in the frozen lights of the sixth City of Gold that mentioned them, but Esteban's memory was blurry right now.

“Our ancestors would have died.”, the elder pursued. “But before the skyfire could reach us, valiant heroes tore the beast's heart from its chest. And it ended here, where it protected us from the destruction. The sunheart is what protects us from the waters and the cold; it saved our ancestors, just like it still does today.”

“The...sunheart?”

“Never heard of it.”, Tao commented. 

The elder nodded. So that's how it happened...this town sank to the bottom of the sea, but some powerful artifact was keeping it alive. Was it the reason there was air to breathe and light to see, so deep into the ocean?

“And...can you go back to the surface?”, Esteban asked. “There's no more beast...well, I haven't seen any. But maybe you could try!”

“We have tried. The sunheart protects our city, but it cannot bring it back to the surface. We have tried to swim up, but it is too far for us to reach. With every generation, our children could swim further and further, but Nemishta also sinks further and further into the Abyss. It is a battle we cannot win.”

The reality of the situation caught up in a heartbeat. These people were _trapped_ here, unable to go home. For maybe thousands of years, they've been kept away from the surface, from the sun and fresh air, and they way they spoke of it felt like they knew they would be here forever. Those people around...those children he could see in the crowd, none of them have ever known what he's known. And it tore at his heart to know.

“...I'm sorry.”, he said. “I'm so sorry for you...it must be horrible.”

The elder blinked at him. And then, she laughed, followed by several others. What…?

“Horrible? My child, you must be thinking we still want to go back to the surface. Have you looked around you?”

He did so, hesitantly. All he saw were houses of stone, people with strange appearances...with jewels of pearls and seashells, ornaments of kelp in their hair like woven flower crowns. Streets where no one walked, but swam instead, in a very natural manner. Children playing in the water like others do in the streets, adults carrying harpoons and weapons of carved bone, fishing nets and lines. Houses built with whatever was available, but made pretty all the same, with statues of stone and intricate plant formations on their walls. Everything looked so strange, so wild, and yet it let transpire a feeling of beauty. Struggling people that pained to survive would not care about pretty things, about decorating their shelters or their bodies. 

Esteban looked at the teen stranger that still hadn't left his side. He'd brought a hand to his face to scratch some itch, and that's when Esteban noticed that his hands were _webbed_. The skin between his fingers was reaching to his third phalanges, making them look a bit like frog hands. He then recalled how he's been swimming, in a manner that looked so strange and inhuman, yet oddly fitting. As if these people had lived here for so long that they've started to get fish-like characteristics.

“The Abyss _is_ our home. It is the only place we have ever known. Why try to win a battle that cannot be won, when we already have found peace?”

Indeed, that changed everything. To be able to find peace in such conditions… Why, if it wasn't a miracle, Esteban doubted he knew!

Everything became a little easier from there on, and the celebration resumed. After all, this was the first visit from the surface that these people have known in thousands of years! How could it _not_ be celebrated? And so the children got to see just how vivid everything was here: there was cheer, there was food, there was even music. Quickly the town's mood turned to that of party, and the three children were the heart of all sorts of inquiries and wonder from curious people. Why did they look so different? What were their clothes made of? What was this strange ship that brought them here? It seems they had as many questions for them as the other way around, and it quickly felt a bit overwhelming.

“Come on. Give them a little space. Not all at once.”

Esteban had to admit that he didn't feel too easy. But once the first curiosity had passed and everyone got a look of the journeyers from the upper sea, it calmed down a little, and he answered their many questions with a little more ease. He had so many of his own, but figured it would wait. All in time, likely.

“It's so weird.”, Tao whispered at some point. “Look, they don't have any hair. It's all grass.”

“I wonder why that is. And have you seen their hands? They look like...like fish hands!”

But he had to admit, those strange characteristics gave them something quite unique. A bit of charm, perhaps, that was beautiful in its own way.

As the cheering went on, and everyone was happily discussing news of the surface, Esteban's eyes scoured the crowd. It was a little hard to make out individual people, especially since he hasn't even met them yet, but soon he saw a pair of raised seaweed leaves walk their way. 

“It's you.”, he said, recognizing him. “We've met outside, right?”

The other nodded, putting down a dish of some fried fish parts in front of him.

“What is your thing?”, he asked, looking in the direction of the Kalium. “Never seen it before.”

“It's an ancient Muan ship. It brought us here.”

Why for, he still didn't know. Had the Kalium wanted to show them the underwater city? Well, whatever its motivations were, it did the right thing: had they passed it, the Abyss would have remained unseen for who knows how longer.

“You look sick.”, the teen asked. “Is something wrong?”

As he spoke, he was doing strange gestures with his hands. Esteban didn't know whether they had a signification, but they maybe had: a lot of people here were moving their hands in specific ways as they spoke, twisting and turning their fingers as if to draw shapes in the air, moving over their faces or chests to accompany their words.

“I'm not sick.”, Esteban replied. “I mean...not that I know of.”

Perhaps he did look sick to these people. So uncanny and foreign, the same way they did for him. Would they...react badly because of it? Would they treat him like many people treated foreigners and those that looked different from them? 

“I...I didn't ask for your name.”, he said, wanting to change topics. “Mine's Esteban.”

The teen blinked, as if he looked confused. But he got the meaning after a moment of pondering it.

“I am Karsha.”, he replied. “I live in the house with the brown wall.”

“It's nice to meet you.”

Karsha smiled, and leaned in a little closer, in a way that puzzled Esteban even more. Did he have something on his face? Wow, his eyes were quite big; he hadn't even noticed that.

“You...don't look like me.”, Karsha said after some observation. “But you are.”

“I...I am?”

Well, of course he was. They were both human, after all.

“I guess I am, yeah...we're people. We just...look different.”

He showed his hands. They had no webbing, nor were they of two different skin colors, but they were hands. Karsha's own came closer, with hesitation, and their fingers touched together after a moment.

The warmth of his hands surprised him, so much that he withdrew his touch. Immediately, their eyes met, and something like _understanding_ passed between them. It couldn't be…

Gently, Karsha reached out again, and Esteban took his hand. And there it was, that warmth that flourished from his palm, warmer than any human hand should be. It felt like a ray of sun on his skin, a delicious and soft feeling that he's only ever felt once in his life.

“You're...”

“You're...like me?”

Their eyes met again, and gold gazed into gold. It made so much sense, and yet...it couldn't be, no. But the location matched, and everything else did… Around them, people were starting to understand that something was going on. Whispers, gestures were exchanged, and Esteban looked at all of their faces in turn. All of them had the same golden eyes, the ones that shone like honey in the sun. It couldn't be...it couldn't, and yet…

Esteban turned to the elder, who was watching it all happen. Next to him, Zia and Tao had noticed it too, and perhaps they were putting the pieces together as well. But he had to make sure, he had to ask. If the stories his father told him were true...

“You've mentioned your ancestors, and their land.”, he said with hesitation. “Were they...was this land...”

He couldn't bear to say it. What if he was wrong? What if he had it all wrong?? But Karsha's hand still in his own was warm, so warm, that it gave him a certitude like none other.

“Was this land once known as...Atlantis?”

The elder looked at him, thoughtfully. As if she was pondering whether or not to answer his doubts. But Esteban held on, hoping for an answer that eventually came, for there was no other way.

“This is an old name.”, she said. “We know it only through legends. If we are to believe them...this was once the name of Nemishta.”

Zia gasped softly, putting two and two together.

“So this means...your ancestors were the people of Atlantis?”

“Say what!?”, Tao gasped.

Esteban simply stayed silent, his eyes still open wide in shock. This name that was a source of mystery for him, a trail with no end towards a past he couldn't face, was all laid out in front of him. The Kalium didn't guide them to the bottom of the sea: it had led them to _Atlantis_. And these people, that have survived for all these centuries hidden away in the ocean, were the descendants of Atlanteans.

They were just like him. And for the first time in ten thousand years, they finally met again.


	3. Invisible Sunlight

Once the initial shock of finding a _whole city in the depths of the ocean still standing after ten thousand years_ had passed, Esteban had to admit that it was quite a beautiful place.

Granted one liked water. Guess that under the ocean, it was impossible to do otherwise: there was water everywhere, may it be in the moisture of the air, the canals running between houses and constructions, the few openings in the barrier where the ocean would create waterfalls to embellish the swimways and freshen up the air. There were very few bridges at all: to cross the street, there was no way other than swimming across. And the people here did it with such normalcy, as if it was completely ordinary!

Esteban watched the water in front of him. The canal was built with mortar bricks, and there was a thin layer of moss growing at the bottom; other than that, the water looked clean. But still, he did not feel at all like getting wet.

“Are you sure we can't just go around?”, he asked, a little nervous.

“I don't think so.”, Karsha answered, already letting himself fall into the canal. “Come on, do you not want to see the houses?”

“I would, but...”

“Oh, stop being such a wuss!”, Tao snickered behind him. “I thought you grew up in a city of sailors?”

And to prove his superiority, he jumped into the canal in turn, making quite a splash. But quickly, the cold water made him regret that decision, as shown by his wriggly attempt at getting out on the other side.

“Who's the wuss now?”, Esteban mocked, feeling himself justified. 

“Well, there's no other choice than to follow.”, Zia commented. “It's not very deep, you can stand over the water.”

And she carefully stepped in, wading forward a little uncomfortably. Esteban sighed, knowing she was right, and followed with much hesitation. Immediately, the icy cold reminded him that they were still at the bottom of the ocean, and that warmth was more precious in this moment than any treasure could ever be. Luckily, Karsha was waiting for them on the other side, and helped them out gladly.

“You look like it's difficult!”, he chuckled. “There's no water on the Shalaya?”

“There is.”, Esteban replied between two shivers. “But it's usually not that cold.”

“What do you mean? It's warm.”

Other people, other measures, he thought. It was all perspective.

“Why do you bother living in a bubble of air, if you fill it with waterways?”, Tao asked, a little annoyed. “Isn't that counterproductive?”

He tried to shake his sleeves to dry them, but his robe clung to him like a cold rag. Luckily, the air was much warmer.

“...I never thought about it.”, Karsha replied most honestly. “It's never been a problem.”

He rubbed his neck, showing an apologetic smile.

“I'm sorry that our roads were not made with shalayari needs in mind. We never expected a visit.”

“I guess nobody can blame you. It's...it's quite a lot to take in, still.”

They've now reached some sort of garden area, which looked like a giant pond surrounded with marine plants. Colorful sea flowers, corals and other unknown creatures were bringing more warmth to this sea of green and blue, making for a space where children would come play and adults could relax. The same yellow lamps brought light to the scenery, making the water glisten with soft fire that gave the area something even more mysterious. There was beauty in unseen and unimaginable places, and it fazed them just how the world could be full of surprises.

“It's beautiful.”, Zia gasped. “How did you build this?”

“Nature. Nature builds everything. Our hands just guide it in the right places.”

Esteban leaned over the pond. He could see little fish swimming in there, in slightly murkier waters. He thought at first that they were carps, but their colors were unnatural and their appendages much sharper, making him doubt that. There were a few children playing around as well, dipping their hands in the water and bringing food scraps to feed the fish. He watched them for a moment, appreciating the innocence of youth with an endeared smile; and that's when one of them grabbed the carp like a hawk and brought it out. The fish writhed and wriggled to free itself, but a moment later, it stopped moving altogether, its body suddenly tensing up. And then it fell flat dead, letting the child show its prey to their friends.

“Hey! Don't do that!”, Esteban jerked.

The two children stopped in their tracks, looking at him like deer in the lights. Karsha chuckled, standing by him.

“Why not? They're learning to hunt.”

“But they've just killed that fish!”

“Yes. That's...that's hunting.”

Karsha didn't seem to get it. Esteban's indignation slowly moved, leaving room for the growing unease of someone who's said something he shouldn't have.

“They learn to hunt with these little fish.”, Karsha explained. “So when they're grown, they can hunt the big ones.”

He gestured to the sky, or rather the ocean above their heads. Outside, they could see similar-shaped sea creatures swimming around, peacefully basking in the radiating light and warmth of the barrier.

“I suppose that's where you get most of your food from?”, Esteban asked, trying to change subjects.

“Yes. Do you want to taste?”

Well, there was no point in denying an invitation. They've been traveling for a while now, and food would be most welcome. Plus, they had to admit that they were quite interested in what could be edible at such depths.

Karsha didn't move, or gesture for them to follow him to some lunch table. Instead, he approached the pond, grabbed a fish with the same ease as he'd pick a flower, and paralyzed it with that same invisible stun energy. He then pulled a large-bladed knife from his belt, and proceeded to slice the fish open here and now, to present it to them like a bottle he's just opened.

“The liver is delicious.”, he smiled. “But if you prefer flesh, I can cut you a slice.”

Zia put her hands to her mouth, horrified. Tao gagged, looking about to vomit. Esteban just stared ahead, perplexed by what had just happened.

“Did you just...kill that fish!?”

“Yes.”

He blinked, as if confused.

“You don't eat fish?”

“You've just killed it! Just like that!”

“Oh! Do you only eat living fish?”

“That's not the question!”

This time, Karsha looked really taken aback. 

“Did I...do something wrong? I wanted to offer you food...”

He breathed in, and Esteban was afraid he'd do something scary. But instead, he clearly enunciated:

“I feel very confused by your behavior. I wanted to offer you food as a gesture of friendship, but your disgusted looks make it feel like I did something wrong, that I don't understand. I...know that shalayari customs may be different, but I don't know them. If you explain them to me, I will do my best to understand, but until then, please do not be angry at me.”

That...took them aback. And honestly, it made them feel kind of bad: of course he couldn't understand what they felt. It was another world, with other customs and practices, and they shouldn't be offended by what was clearly meant as a friendly gesture. To have it spoken out so explicitly was icing on the cake, too. With hesitation, Zia spoke up in turn.

“Seeing an animal die so casually...is upsetting.”, she tried. “We do eat meat on the...the Shalaya. But we don't want to see animals suffer. It feels...cruel.”

And very paradoxical. But such was human nature.

“We appreciate your gesture.”, Tao said after a moment. “We just didn't expect it.”

“Oh, I see now.”, Karsha nodded. “I am sorry I upset you. Now that I know, I will not do it again.”

He put the sliced fish into a pouch at his belt.

“Would you rather I don't offer you meat?”

“Meat is fine. But please, don't murder animals in front of us. They feel pain too, you know!”

“They don't.”, Karsha chuckled. “At least, not if they're shone.”

“If they're...what?”

To that, Karsha simply rubbed his hands together, and booped his finger to Zia's nose. She blinked, touching to her face like something's just happened; her expression seemed frozen.

“Ah...uhh??”, she tried to speak.

“Don't worry.”, Karsha chuckled. “That was just a tiny shine. It will not last.”

And indeed, after a few seconds, Zia's face returned to normal.

“That felt weird! I...I couldn't move my face! Or feel it!”

“When your body is shone, you don't feel anything.”, Karsha explained. “Your flesh and nerves are numb, and it doesn't hurt to die. We always try to shine those we eat; it's more respectful.”

Zia kept rubbing her cheeks, letting sensations slowly come back to her face. At least, the Abyssals had a sense of ethics; still, the way they showed it was strange. And the way they carried it out was...intriguing. 

Esteban remembered the way the children did something similar to the fish they caught. They looked quite young...was a “shine” that easy to do?

“Can anyone...do what you did?”, he asked.

“I think so. I never thought of asking everyone.”, Karsha shrugged apologetically. 

They've kept walking on, soon arriving to something like a residential area. Between houses of stone and coral, a little common area was standing out of the water, and there was already a small gathering of people. Karsha took his place among them, and invited the children to do so. They did, always with some hesitation, but found themselves welcomed very warmly.

What the Abyss lacked in temperature, it made up for in human warmth. These people have never known any other ones before, and welcomed their first visitors with much eagerness. Someone brought food, and the sheer variety of it surprised them: there was fish, of course, but also greens, various seafoods, and even something that looked like flatbread. Everyone ate together, and it felt so heartwarming to be included in their group and be part of something. 

They were so curious about the children, and the Shalaya. The “surface”, the “above” as they called it: the world they could not access, but that they've renounced to reach a very long time ago. They asked so many questions, and listened with eagerness to what must have sounded like fantastic tales. They've never heard of rain, of mountains, of ships and horses, and stories of the kids' journey across the world made their eyes so big and bright. In return, they told them about the Abyss, about the Hunt, about the significance of their headdresses and tattoos, and about the many stories passed down from ages long forgotten. Stories that traced back to Atlantis, to tales of the sky and the sun, of the guardian star and the gold in their blood. And as he listened to them, Esteban felt like he was discovering the history of his ancestors for the first time.

His father had told him about Atlantis, of course, but there was so much he didn't know. So much that was forgotten with time, and disappeared from memory. But here, down in the Abyss, tales dating back to the ages of Mu were still being told, faithfully preserved in the memory of their people. 

Without paper or parchment, there couldn't be any books to keep knowledge and legends, so everything was spread through spoken word and art. They showed them some of it: beautiful carvings and sculptures of gilded stone, that pictured creatures and people from old legends. There was not a single wall in Nemishta that wasn't painted or carved with beautiful patterns and shapes, ornamented with stones, plants or otherwise made into a true work of art. Anything that could be decorated, was: simple clothing of hide and fur was painted with beautiful colors, that mimicked the markings of wild sea creatures. Tools like knives and bows were carefully carved and ornamented, like the personal items they were; people even decorated their bodies, showing intricate tattoos made with plant-based ink, that swirled and looped and dotted over the otherwise peculiar patterns of their skin. Everything was so strange, but at the same time so beautiful, and it made the depths of the ocean seem so alive.

The Abyssals did not merely survive here; they _thrived_. They've fully adapted to this environment, and made it a beautiful place. This explained why they were not at all in a hurry to leave, even though they knew they missed on so much. 

“It all seems...incredible.”, Karsha said, after Zia was done talking about the sky and its vivid colors. “There's an old song that speaks of rain, but I never knew it looked like that.”

“What did you picture, then?”

“Well...I don't know. You make it sound like it is very pretty.”

“Water falling from the sky is never a good thing.”, an older Abyssal spoke. “It only means bad omens. There's nothing pretty about it.”

Esteban looked up at the ocean. The barrier did seem pretty solid; it's held on for thousands of years, after all. 

“I don't like rain either.”, he said. “It brings up some...bad memories.”

He couldn't help but remember Barcelona. Those days when it would rain and rain, when there was little hope to see the sun ever again. Those days, the superstitions of the people would point to him as the solution, and force him out and up to put an end to it. It's always worked, of course, but not without causing some serious harm to his already weakened mental state in the process. Season after season, year after year, it's gone on and on in an endless vicious cycle; even if he tried to make nothing happen, the people just believed that much in him and his powers. Now, he knew it was true, of course; but that didn't excuse it. That would never excuse just how they've treated him.

That wouldn't erase the fear of rainstorms that's carved its way into his soul.

“You look all sad, Esheban.”, Karsha then noticed. “Is something wrong?”

Esteban perked up, drawn from his thoughts.

“Oh...it's nothing. I was just...remembering.”

“Why do you remember unhappy things? It makes your heart sad.”

He simply shrugged.

“I guess I can't help it. It happens, you know? Sometimes...it just crawls up on you, and you can't do anything.”

Karsha made a face that reminded him of a sad puppy. And then, gently, his arms wrapped around Esteban's body.

“You don't have to face it alone. We're here for you.”

“Uhhh...”

Before he could say anything, another teen had hugged him. And another, and one that put a hand on his shoulder. Esteban felt like protesting, or at least saying something, but that's when the warmth of their bodies washed over him like a gentle wave, cutting off his words. 

That felt...very strange, to say the least. But it wasn't bad. So he let it happen, easing up from so much compassion, which was quite uncalled for but not unwelcome. Perhaps that's what cued them to part away after a moment, for they felt he was already feeling better.

“...do you do that often?”, he asked after a time.

“As often as you want.”

He heard Tao and Zia giggle, but tried to ignore it. Now that he looked around their little gathering, he saw that people weren't shy by any means: it wasn't rare to see people of similar ages sit together in half-embraces, rest their heads on someone's shoulder or lap, and generally exhibit a promiscuity that'd rise many shocked brows back in Spain. Also, that was about when Esteban found out he was unable to tell boys and girls apart, for nothing in clothing, jewels or even body shapes could help him. Even when he tried to assign genders based on voice pitch alone, he saw that sexes were pretty much mingling as they wanted, without any of the adults told them to keep some room. He wasn't sure if he should say something about it, but reminded himself that it was a whole other culture, with different rules and customs. 

But if it meant people were willing to hug him at the slightest frown...well, let's say he wouldn't be against it.

“It's getting late. How about we get you a place to rest?”

“I'm curious, how can you tell?”, Tao asked. “There's no way to keep track of time, where there's no sunlight.”

“That's the thing, we always know.”, Karsha chuckled. “We've never seen the sun, but we know where it in the Shalaya. And we know that the sun's position matches with times of our day, so we can easily know when it is time to eat or sleep.”

That felt rather strange. Were they lying? They had no reason to, and their offer for rest did match with Esteban's sleepiness that was starting to rise. Perhaps it was something that they could do. Something... _similar_. 

“I have to admit it's been a long journey.”, Zia said. “Are you sure you don't mind?”

“Never! You are our ghosts and we have to make you happy.”

“You mean 'guests'.”

“Never used that word before. Just like you've never used bath soaps.”

The others laughed about it, as if these two people bickering had something intrinsically funny to it. Esteban had to admit it was a clever comeback. 

It was warm, so warm. The air, the people, the food, everything was incredibly warm and good. And it felt like they were just starting to see it.

Karsha's home was a small, but lovely place. One large room made up their living space, obviously decorated with colorful stones, shells and painted motifs. His only family was his mother, Selaka: within a few minutes of knowing her, hearing her speak and seeing her smile, Esteban knew she was the warmest person he's ever spoken to. She was so nice, so caring, making sure their surface guests were comfortable and well-fed, and it made him feel all strange inside. Was everyone so darn lovely and positive down here? 

They were so weird. But he was so glad they existed.

There were no beds, only a pile of soft material everyone was sharing. It was comfortable, and even though huddling with his friends and their hosts was a little uneasy, he found out it made for a rather nice experience. After a few hours, the unease simply went away, and they laid there in a comfortable embrace that they felt like they've always wanted. As if it were natural for friends and family to share such intimacy, such closeness, without anyone judged them for it.

Of course it were, down in the Abyss.


	4. Small Gestures, and What they Mean

“I...I'm sorry, I didn't quite understand that.”

The kid simply blinked, and did the same gestures again. Precise motions of their hands, that Esteban couldn't see the meaning of. He just stared a little blankly, unable to answer, and the child maybe understood it too, for they slowly lowered their hands, feeling it useless to continue. 

Esteban nervously rubbed his neck. It seemed that a lot of people here didn't know how to speak, and instead opted to move their hands in ways that conveyed messages. Sadly, it wasn't a way he knew, and he didn't doubt these people were growing frustrated and disappointed with him. 

Or at least that's what he'd have thought. The kid simply looked around, and saw someone else swimming by. They quickly scurried up to her, and did the same signs again; but this time, they got understood. The other person then turned to Esteban, and spoke to him out loud. 

“Sadina is asking you how old you are.”

She too was doing gestures as she spoke. Everyone was doing that, even those that spoke perfectly well.

“Oh, uh...”, he hesitated, a bit taken aback by the question. “I'm...thirteen. I think. Maybe a bit more.”

The little child turned to their elder, who relayed his answer with more gestures. And only then did they get it, for they started counting on their fingers to make sense of it. 

“Not everyone hears you.”, the young woman told him, almost on a reproaching tone. “Speak correctly.”

“But I am!”, he defended himself. “I'm speaking loud enough, aren't I?”

“Your mouth is loud, but your hands are mute. That's not very good manners.”

And before he could add anything, she was gone. He sighed, and decided to turn around, to join his friends where they were currently chilling. 

Needless to say, he's spent a strange night. To sleep while huddling with friends and strangers alike was...kind of weird, in retrospect, and he's woken up a bit early. It was still dark outside, but his eyes were deceiving him, for that black sky above his head was actually a clear morning sea. Nothing had changed from last evening, so how could he be sure it was morning and not night? Everyone around him acted as if it were obvious, but he didn't feel like it was. There was still so much that eluded him.

“Hey, Esheban! Here you are.”

Well, lucky for him that he had someone to explain it all.

“Hi there, Karsha.”, he greeted back with a hint of relief. “I thought I'd get lost in those streets! It sure is huge here.”

“That's the least it takes to be a city.”, he chuckled. “There's space for everyone.”

“Optimistic as always, huh.”

He just smiled in that goofy manner, simple-minded yet certain. Esteban let it roll, knowing it'd be useless. Instead, he turned his eyes to the sky, to the silhouettes of fish and other marine creatures slowly swimming in view. Clear shadows lit by the glow of the dome, cut against a dark background; they were like clouds given life and form. It was an unsettling sight, but one that intrigued Esteban to no end nonetheless. 

He stayed silent for a moment, during which no one said anything. But eventually, Karsha broke this contemplation, driven by curiosity.

“Is it so different, in the Shalaya?”

Esteban nodded.

“On the surface, there's...there's no big dome that shields us from the sky. There's no fish that swim over our heads.”

He thought back to the scenes of his youth. To the endless sky over the ocean, as the Esperanza was slowly crossing the Atlantic.

“Well, there's birds. But they look so different. And the clouds, and their many shapes...and it's full of light, and colors. The sky's always changing with weather and time.”

“Did your people explore the sky?”

“Not exactly. We can't fly. It's...it's like right here, we can't leave the ground.”

He sat down on a rock bench, admiring the slow pass of a squid down the translucent glass. It spiraled and squirmed in harmonious curves, like an entrancing dance that no bird would ever be able to do. 

“But we have machines. My friends and I traveled aboard a gigantic condor made of gold. We could fly, we could see everything...it was so beautiful. The world seen from above is so scary, but it's so fascinating too.”

“I wish I could see it.”

And then, he chuckled.

“I just thought...if there's a world above mine, one that is yours. Then...could there be another world above yours? And one above that one?”

“That's unlikely. We'd know it!”

“Well, did you know there was one below? I don't think you did.”

He was right. Even though most of the world's oceans had been explored by now, their depths were still a mystery. No one knew what lurked under the surface, or even how deep the seas exactly were. So to know that there was actually a whole city just waiting in the abyss…

“Well...”, Esteban conceded. “If there is actually a city in the sky, it's well-hidden. But given the stories of my people...I wonder if there's not some truth to them all.”

Karsha grinned, knowing he'd won. He gestured his hand to add something, but then again, Esteban didn't know what it meant at all. He just stayed confused, and his expression likely caught Karsha's attention, for he blinked with a tilt of his head.

“Are you angry at me?”

“What? Why...why would I be?”

“Well, it seemed like you were...”, he muttered, a little embarrassed. 

Whenever he'd mumble or speak more quietly, he'd switch to gestures. And knowing it'd get bothersome if he didn't, Esteban decided to cut to the chase and ask.

“Alright, I give up. I can't know what your hands are saying, but it's not like I mean to! I just...don't understand, that's all!”

Karsha blinked, and looked down at his own hands. And then back at him.

“You mean...you don't handspeak? At all?”

“Well...no. I speak with my words, and that's enough.”

“But what if you meet someone hearless? How would you talk?”

Esteban blinked. 

“Hearless…?”

He thought back to the child from earlier.

“Well...I never met anyone like that. So I don't need it.”

Karsha raised a brow. Esteban noticed his eyebrows were not like his own: they were tattooed on otherwise bare skin. 

“You can't tell me everyone in the Shalaya hears words and sounds.”

“Well, they do!”

Karsha looked completely taken aback. He opened wide eyes, his expression almost exaggerated, and just looked at him strangely. 

“That's the truth!”, Esteban said as to justify himself. “I mean, I guess there _are_ people that can't hear, but...I've never met any, and I've been all over the world! It's...rare, that's all.”

And not something people would be likely to show. He remembered meeting the grand master of Shaolin, and being taken aback by his blank eyes; but everyone else in the monastery was thoroughly used to it. To him, it still seemed a little strange, but he wasn't in the right to judge.

“You live in a very strange world.”, Karsha said. “In Nemishta, there are more hearless people than hearing ones.”

“So many!? But...how do they communicate?”

To that, Karsha simply made more gestures to him, and Esteban couldn't help feeling very stupid. And a bit inappropriate as well. But that again got picked up on.

“That's just the way my homeland is.”, Karsha said. “I never bothered to ask why, I just...I just know that's how it is. Everyone I know speaks in hands and voice, and we've done that maybe forever.”

“...everyone?”

“With the same fluency as I speak to you.”

He chuckled.

“Have you ever tried to speak with your voice, when you're swimming in the water? You'd drown before you even know it! But that way, you don't need air to tell your friends what you need to tell.”

He gestured again, more slowly this time. Esteban remembered the way he and his friend have found them yesterday, swimming out into the ocean. These people were literally _built_ to explore the deep waters, and their bodies have been shaped by hundreds, thousands of years of this lifestyle. Their webbed hands, their big eyes, their hairless skin all seemed so uncanny...but for people living from the cold, deep ocean, it made perfect sense. 

And Esteban felt awfully stupid to not have realized it sooner.

“...I didn't want to offend you.”, he said, turning his face away. “I...I've been rude. I shouldn't assume your world is the same as mine, and be shocked when it isn't.”

“I understand your feelings. I can't expect you to know everything either. Even if it seems normal to me, it maybe isn't for you, and you have the right to be shocked or ask questions.”

And then, he gently embraced him, in a surprising yet not unwelcome manner. Esteban returned it, finding that Abyssal clothing was surprisingly soft and fuzzy. 

“...wow. It feels weird, to speak out my emotions like that.”

“Do you not resolve conflicts in Shalaya?”

“Well...not really. Most of the time, it gets to our heads and we can't allow ourselves to speak our minds.”

“That's so sad.”

And he hugged him tighter, comfortingly, which made Esteban chuckle.

“Why do you ask? You've never let pride get to your head, or wanted to prove your point at any cost?”

“Not exactly. It's just not right to stay angry at others.”

“What? You mean you never get angry or annoyed with someone?”

“I didn't say that. That happens, it's true. I...I get angry, or hurt, or annoyed. But when that happens, I try to talk it out. If there's a problem, then there's a solution.”

“But not everyone is willing to talk it out. Sometimes you're better off trying to talk to a wall.”

“It's not like they have a choice.”

Esteban gently parted from the embrace, to look at him.

“What do you mean? People _can_ be angry at others.”

“Not when it hinders the safety of everyone. In Nemishta, we _have_ to work together. To bring our efforts and minds together, so that everyone can live.”

He gestured to all around them. To the stone houses, to the canals, to the fishes swimming outside.

“The Abyss is...dangerous. It's very difficult to live here, even after all this time. To build our houses, find food for everyone, keep the fires and the solar stone going, we have to join all forces available. When we're angry, when we refuse to work with people we dislike, it puts our efforts in jeopardy.”

His gaze became a little grim, and his tone more serious.

“I've heard of war. I've heard of conflicts. It's a war like this that lost our people into the Abyss. So if another war were to break out, what would happen? We can't ever know. But the consequences would be disastrous.”

“And in such a closed space, there's no way out...”

He nodded.

“That's why we always try talking things out. We never leave anything unsaid. We open our feelings, so that people know how their behavior is hurting us. And it helps us bond with them more, and makes us stronger.”

“That's...actually smart. So all of your quarrels end up in hugs and forgiveness?”

“Everyone loves hugs and forgiveness. Fighting and being angry takes too much energy, anyway… I don't like hating people, it's a waste of time.”

This guy was too wholesome for his own good. But what if they all were? Could an entire city really be as friendly and open-hearted as him? Esteban did remember the warm greetings and welcome they got when they first arrived in Nemishta, and all the niceness they've been faced with. He was so used to war, hatred of foreigners and trouble between nations that such a concept was thoroughly puzzling him. 

“...you know.”, he said after a moment of thinking. “I wish there were more people like you guys. It'd make the world a better place.”

“You think so?”

He nodded, and got hugged once more. Alright, that was a little much...but damn if that wasn't good. Even his own friends didn't hug him that freely! And yet here he was, being wholly trusted and appreciated by a complete stranger he's met just a day ago. There were so many people that'd take advantage of his friendliness, and Esteban started to worry; but Karsha seemed to believe wholeheartedly in his message. Could absolutely everyone be that nice and accepting? Has there never been a single rotten apple to spoil the bunch, and twist that kindness into something evil? Or was the need for survival just so strong, so overwhelming that even those born evil would play along, for the sake of living?

If that was the case, then he'd have even more trouble buying it than the fact there was an entire city flourishing deep down in the abyss. He'd be more ready to accept the Nemishtari being mermaids or sea monsters in human hide, than an entire population being so wholesome and genuinely good.

...but damn if that wasn't a great and warm hug.

“You know, your surprise tells me that your own world is nothing like mine.”, Karsha said after a moment. “It makes me wonder what your people are like.”

“Trust me, you don't want to know. Some people I've met are...just atrocious. The kind who'd do cruel things just for laughs.”

“Why is no one stopping them?”

“We're trying! But...it's harder than it sounds.”

He thought about Ambrosius, a wicked and evil man who nonetheless had the support of an entire order of alchemists. He's managed to seduce kings and princes alike, and even convinced Esteban's friends at one point. He thought about the many rulers of this world that were just as cruel and power-hungry, trampling over others for riches and might. Entire empires have crumbled and disappeared from war, conquest and genocide. And worst of all, people thought it was normal. 

“The surface is far from perfect. It's...very different. It's such a big world, and some people think they own it all.”

He moved a little, to rest his head on Karsha's shoulder as to watch the fishes swim above. The boy didn't seem to mind, shifting a bit to get more comfortable. There was something nice about being all casual like this, and no one seemed to bat an eye at them. Maybe all the other young teenagers gathering around the area, being equally open with one another, sort of influenced him.

“Why don't people work together?”, Karsha asked. “Wouldn't it be easier?”

“They do, sometimes. But most of the time, they fight. They want to prove one is superior to the other.”

“But that's...mean.”

Such a simple reasoning! But did it need to be more complicated than that?

“I suppose.”, Esteban shrugged.

He thought on what to add to his thoughts, but that's when the coos of a parrot interrupted his thoughts. Pichu perched on his knee, as to herald Tao's arrival just a moment later. 

“So that's where you are! I thought you've been sleeping in!”

“Not really, I was...well, I was here.”

“You were.”, Karsha chuckled, lightly patting Esteban's head.

Tao sat with them, still looking around eagerly. Seems Esteban wasn't the only one who had trouble taking in all the sights and sounds of the Abyss. But who could blame them? It was such a beautiful place, and such a surprising one too. The settings, the people, the circumstances were all so curious, and even a weathered explorer like Esteban has never seen anything like this before. Some surprises were just too great.

“This is absolutely amazing!”, Tao remarked. “This place is full of art that depicts the times of the war! And their stories are the same too! Who'd ever have thought!?”

“I sure wouldn't.”, Esteban chuckled.

“This is all so great. Can you imagine? What if there's similar underwater cities in the Western Ocean, that still are inhabited by descendants of Mu? They'd be the last bastions of my ancestors' culture!”

“I'm so happy for you. Look, I'm clapping.”

It's not that the idea wasn't a good one. But why did Tao feel the need to always bring everything back to Mu? They were in the Atlantic, for sun's sake! This has once been Atlantis! If anyone had to celebrate here, it'd be Esteban!

...so why wasn't he?

“Well, look who's talking.”, Tao sneered. “I thought you'd be happier than that to meet up with your cousins.”

“His what?”, Karsha asked.

Esteban sighed. 

“Well...I don't know. The thought hadn't crossed my mind, that's all.”

“You've got to be kidding. You mean you're here, in maybe one of the last remnants of Atlantean culture, and you feel nothing about it?”

Tao didn't even try to conceal his jealousy. But at that, Esteban felt a little piqued: so far, all they've found and discovered traced back to Mu, to its empire and its people. And now that the attention had shifted to Atlantis ever so slightly, he was _jealous_? Talk of entitled!

“I didn't say that.”, Esteban retorted, sitting up a little straighter. “I just...”

He tried to speak, but only managed to vaguely shrug.

“I don't know how to feel about it. That's all.”

To that, Tao's irritation slightly lowered.

“...you don't know? What do you mean, you don't know?”

“I don't, that's all! How am I supposed to feel? We've met the descendants of Atlanteans, and that's great, but why should I be more affected than anyone else? What does it matter, that we're 'cousins' or whatever?”

“I don't understand what you mean, Esheban. I want to help you, but I don't get your troubles.”

Esteban barely knew either.

“It's just that...”, he attempted. “I'm a descendant of Atlanteans as well. Your people were my people too, so...we're a bit like cousins. I think.”

Karsha blinked, taking that in.

“Oh...wait, you really are? But...you don't look like us.”

“I know. That's because...well, our people parted after the war. There were those that lived under the sea, like you, and those that lived on the surface, like me. So we look different.”

Karsha leaned in a little, as if he wanted to see something on Esteban's face that'd prove their kinship. And indeed, he found it, for he gently smiled.

“I believe you.”, he said. “You have the same warmth as all of us.”

“What does that mean?”

“Did you not feel it, when we touched hands?”

And he offered his hand again. Esteban hesitatingly held it, and again, that gentle sunbeam came to warm up his fingers. That same warmth that reminded him of the Burning Shield, of those words the High Priest had said to him and that have puzzled him for months. Even back then, in a corner of his mind, Esteban had recognized him, recognized that invisible link they shared. It wasn't rooted in anything, and yet his intuition had been proved right. Maybe some part of him had always known he was his father; maybe some part of Karsha knew Esteban was the same as him. There was no logical explanation, and yet they knew. They just knew. 

Maybe it was the golden eyes that they all shared, but Esteban knew there was more to it. Something unknown, yet so real, maybe as old as Atlantis itself.

“If I had to say how I feel...”, he hesitated. “Well...I think I'm happy to know there's people like me.”

“You've never met anyone like you?”

“Not really. Atlantis disappeared a very long time ago...I don't know anything about it. Its culture, its language...it's all been lost.”

He shrugged.

“But it's not like I'm in the right place to say anything about it. I...I was raised in Spain, I grew up with Spanish culture. That's all I've ever known. Only recently have I learned about my Atlantean origins. I feel like...it doesn't change anything.”

“But it does!”, Tao protested. “It changes everything!”

“Tao, try to put yourself in my shoes. You've grown surrounded with the culture of Mu, but imagine you suddenly learn your ancestors were...ancient Chinese. How would you react? Would that suddenly change your values, your mothertongue, your habits? Does that mean that everything you've learned and were raised with is suddenly void?”

Tao blinked, stopped dead in his tracks. It was obvious he hadn't considered things that way. 

“I know you're proud of your Mu heritage. But for me, it's just not the same. And I don't know how to feel about it.”

He crossed his arms, ready to shut himself in and mull it over. But that was without accounting for Karsha's soft hands on his shoulders.

“What if we taught you?”, he asked. “You don't need to change how you are, if it's difficult for you. But you can learn about it, so you know that.”

Esteban looked up at him, surprised by his offer. He was about to say that it wouldn't be the same, but if Atlantean culture has thrived for all this time in this bubble, then it mustn't have changed much in ten thousand years. Without exchanges with neighboring nations or any migrations at all, it couldn't have evolved too far from what it used to be. That however left Esteban with chilling thoughts about the people of the Abyss: if they've spent all this time in a similar situation, without any new blood at all...no, he shouldn't think of such things. The very idea had implications he felt were too complex to handle, so he decided to change subjects before he thought too much about it.

“Are you sure it would be fine?”, he asked. “I'm...I'm not like you. It's your culture more than mine.”

“But I want to share it. And it could help you learn more about us, too.”

He perked up.

“I know! I could show you how to handspeak. That way, you can talk to anyone you want.”

It's true that it could help. Esteban looked to Tao, as if he didn't know what to say, but the latter simply shrugged.

“You know, it's not a bad idea. You say your ancestry doesn't change anything, but that's just because you haven't gotten in touch with it.”

It seemed that there was no going away. Esteban shrugged, and sat in front of Karsha.

“We could give it a try...but I'm not sure I'll be good at it.”

“That's alright. If you try, you're already showing your good will.”

Well, he couldn't do anything against that. So he did as he was told, and listened as Karsha started to explain the basics of handspeak.

He knew he wouldn't get it all right away. And yet, he noticed that as he awkwardly tried to copy some hand signs and understand how they worked, he felt an odd, pleasant feeling starting to bud within him.


	5. Breathe Fire, Breathe Life

_Out of nowhere, the Beast of Destruction appeared in the sky._

_Mounted on wings of metal and night, it covered the sky and devoured all of its light. It shrouded the world in darkness, day as black as night, sun as cold as ice. Its maws held the fire that would consume the world, for the Beast's hunger could never be satisfied._

_Noble warriors mounted birds of metal and light, and set to fight the Beast. They flew to it, tore its chest open and drew the heart out of its ribs. The Beast's fire weakened, and its blood fell into the sea, where it birthed the monsters of the Abyss._

_The Beast's heart fell onto the land, and shielded it from the burning fire. A small part of the island we called home survived the destruction and the skyfire; but the tides closed in and the earth shook, and the only remaining city fell into the ocean. There, the heart of the Beast protected it from the waters and the night. It shielded the people that had survived the destruction, and they in return shielded the heart._

_To survive the dark of Abyss, they hunt down the monsters born from the dragon's blood, and devoured their flesh. Many died, but those that survived became stronger, embracing the Abyss within them. They became akin to the monsters that roamed the cold and dark ocean, for only thus could they live in this world. But they kept the warmth and light of Mother Coyolite within their souls, and did not succumb to the darkness. They became the first of the Nemishtari, the people of the Abyss._

_That is who we are. That is what we are. That is why we are._

The children listened with intent, as the Elder finished telling the tale of ages past, the tale everyone in this city knew about. The tale of their origins, their ancestors, and how they could have survived the Great Cataclysm. A tale so unbelievable and fantastic, that nonetheless had such truth to it. How else could it explain all the unbelievable and fantastic things they've been faced with, here where no sun ever shines?

The Elder sat back down, her back turned to the engraved murals of centuries ago. Her heavy eyes settled on the three children at the front of the audience, waiting for their reaction. Yet it was hard to come up with, for what they've just heard was a lot to take in.

“So...what happened to this beast?”, Tao asked after a time. “Did it...fall into the ocean, too?”

“No one knows.”, the Elder slowly spoke. “Some say it disappeared, carried away by the sea. Some say it survived and flew away, retreating where no one could hurt it again. We have been living in the Abyss for thousands of years, yet no one has ever seen its remains anywhere around our city.”

It'd be hard to imagine. On the murals, the Beast of Destruction was depicted as this scary sea serpent, with a mane so thick and wide it wrapped around the sun as to smother it. Its jaw was perpetually open in a menacing snarl, and the fire it breathed was big enough to engulf the world and shatter the land. Should anything of the sort have ever been found, the surface people would know about it for sure. Yet no matter how Esteban looked at it, he's never heard of anything like this.

“Beats me.”, he concluded. “Maybe it never really existed?”

“Although...it does resemble some myths of my culture.”, Zia noted. “And I know of many others like it.”

“And what is this...heart of the Beast? Is it really what's protecting your entire city?”

“It is one of the names borne by the solar stone.”, the Elder slowly answered. “A source of great power, which sustains us all.”

“I've never heard about it either.”, said Tao as he searched through his book. “A gem that can turn water into breathable air, and produce heat...I'd love to see it in action.”

He turned to the Elder, closing his book.

“Could we see it, please?”

“I fear that it cannot be done.”

The children's faces twisted with disbelief.

“What?! Why not?”

“The solar stone is everything that keeps our world together. It shields us from the fury of the ocean and the hunger of the monsters outside. It requires great care and reverence, and you have not proven yourselves worthy to approach it.”

“That's unfair! We won't do anything, I promise!”

“Tao, you've heard her. To disturb it could be very dangerous. We've got to respect that.”

Tao huffed, crossing his arms in a selfish moment. Of course she was right, but still, that didn't sit right with him. Esteban had to admit that he'd have wanted to see it too, but rules were the rules.

The Elder retreated, having some matters to attend to, and the improvised audience stood to resume going about their lives. Esteban walked to the murals, deciding to take a moment to look at the intricate carvings that spanned over the entire wall of the templehouse.

The stone looked old and worn, overgrown with patches of lichen and moss in places; yet it wasn't the first time it's been cleaned and re-chiseled. The carvings looked like the illustrations of a large book, depicting scenes from several tales of Abyssal history; the Beast of Destruction was among them, showing the story Elder Netiala had just told. Under the towers of a large citadel, human figures were depicted in a kneeling posture, hands raised to the sky as the skyfire was blazing all around. They were begging, pleading for their lives, and yet the mighty monster had no cares for their prayers. 

Then, the sun shone over a broken tower, shielding everyone in its rays. Some people in the carved crowd were laid in the pose of the dead, and those that still stood had that characteristic crest on their heads. Many people had died, following the Cataclysm, and those that survived went on to become the Abyssals. He thought about how that must have been for those people, to have their home suddenly cast away in the darkness of the ocean, to the point where their only way to survive was to become Abyss monsters as well. He couldn't help but think of the Olmecs, whose race had undergone a similar metamorphosis due to the harsh conditions they've been kept in for thousands of years. 

It pained him to think of it. Had all descendants of Atlantis been turned into one or another form of monsters? Himself still looked human, but what did that even make him? He knew nothing of his culture, and could barely claim himself to be part of it. Has Atlantis descended into such disrepair that now, all that was left of it were grotesque imitations of humanity? 

He turned around, watching the people that still lingered around. They were a little scary, with their large eyes and patterned skin and flat faces. Such was how the Abyss had twisted them, millenia after millenia, each generation a little more monstrous than the last. And it hurt to think about, it really hurt. 

Yet they didn't care. Despite everything, they were smiling, laughing, children playing and adults working, and it would not have felt out of place in any other culture. No matter how they looked, they were people, with families and friends, with traditions and rituals, with a conscience and a soul. Esteban reminded himself of all the peoples he's met during his journeys, how they were so different from one another, and how they still shared the same things that made them human. The Abyssals were not monsters, they were...they were just another variant of people. 

Ugh, he felt so stupid right now, and hoped that no one could hear his thoughts somehow. No doubt he would die of shame if anyone ever knew what had just crossed his mind! He tried to scrub it off, to ignore the prejudiced values he's grown up with, to remind himself of everything he's learned, and most importantly to open his heart and mind. Sure, they looked strange...but he must be looking the exact same to them! Do not accuse others of a fault you're committing yourself: remember, you are a foreigner in their homeland, not the other way around. Ugh, he's never wanted to cringe at himself so bad before.

“Do you want to come hunt with us?”

A voice brought him out of his thoughts, and he blinked in confusion for a moment. 

“Oh...hey, Karsha. What'd you say?”

“I asked if you wanted to come and hunt with us.”

He repeated it with his words as well as his hands. Right...politeness. 

“Um...I'm not sure I can. I...I'm not a good hunter.”

Trying to remember his manners and his handspeak lessons, he tried to repeat the gestures he's memorized. He touched to the back of his head with one hand, and waved the other in a dismissive manner, all while letting his facial expression convey his meaning: _“I don't know.”_

“It's alright!”, Karsha said enthusiastically. “Can you swim?”

“...a little. Not as good as you.”

“You already have a hunt knife.”

“Wh...oh, my dagger? Yes, but...I'm not sure it can do much.”

Not when compared to Abyssal knives. They were as big as butcher cleavers, made of sharpened bone, and intricately decorated. About every adult had their own, and so did young hunters like Karsha.

“Whatever it can do is good enough! And you too. You can do many things if you try.”

“Well...it's hard to resist such cheering.”, he admitted.

“That'll use your time good. Now come on!”

And he held Esteban's hand, to walk with him to the hunters' camp. He was going to say something about it, but decided against it, feeling no harm in such casual touches. That was just how they were, wasn't it?

There were already a few people gathered at the camp, right at the edge of the city; they were preparing their tools, checking nets for damage and eagerly talking about the catch they were going to have. They were adults, but some of them were Esteban's age, and they too were gearing up. 

“The gowren was last seen over by the rock columns.”, the leader of the group spoke up. “With a bit of luck, it'll have taken the bait. Today, we've got to bring it back at any cost!”

“It's a smart beast, but not smart enough for us. We'll get it, don't worry!”

By the looks of their equipment, a “gowren” ought to be a very big creature. Just look at the size of that net! Esteban started to worry about this expedition, but Karsha put a hand on his shoulder.

“You're coming with me. It's my turn to find shells.”

He couldn't help but breathe out a reassured sigh. Seashells...that was easy enough. Just dig in the sand and pick them up. He could do that, yes.

“How long can you waterbreathe?”

“Um...I...I don't breathe underwater, if that's what you're asking.”

“No, I mean if you can keep your air inside.”

“...oh, hold my breath. I can do that, yes.”

“Let's try.”

They sat down with the other hunters, who were just done preparing their gear. Everyone was silent, unmoving, as if they were meditating. Esteban saw the way they were taking deep breaths, holding it in, and slowly breathing out. 

“If we swim out now, without preparation, we won't go far.”, Karsha explained. “We have to calm our bodies and make peace with our task, so that we can waterbreathe longer.”

One time in Japan, Mariko the pearl fisher had given him similar advice. That made sense no matter which sea they were in. He looked at Karsha to get the idea, and then started doing the same, breathing slowly to calm his heartrate. It had some soothing effect to it, indeed; maybe he should do that more often. 

However, it quickly became obvious that even his best efforts were no match for that of these people. If he didn't move, he could hold his breath for a minute at best; and yet when he gave up, the others still hadn't breathed in. He mentally counted the seconds, and found that they could easily reach two, three minutes; the adults could go over five, and there was one that still didn't breathe when he got tired of counting. Was that even possible? How did they do that?

“You're not bad.”, Karsha chuckled after he stopped holding it. “But...I don't think that will be enough. Are you sure you don't have breathing problems?”

“None at all. In fact, I'm pretty healthy, I've been told. I think you're the ones that can reach records!”

Another instance of how the Abyss affected human life. As the first hunters headed out through the barrier, it dawned on him that there was no other way to find food in this place than to directly dive in and get it; of course nature would favor people that could swim for longer periods of time. Those that didn't could as well starve. 

“...I'd rather stay behind.”, he said, a little pessimistic. “I wouldn't be able to go as far as you guys.”

“Are you sure? We could go around the hollow rocks. There are pockets of air there.”

Well...if there was air, maybe that could be alright. After all, even five minutes couldn't be enough to catch a big prey, right? The hunters had got to take breaks to breathe in, especially if they had to swim and move. They seemed to have it all figured out, so…

“If you're sure that's alright...”

He stood up in turn and followed Karsha, who went to lead the way but seemed to remember something.

“You might need that more than I do.”

And he slipped his sleeves off, revealing more skin patterns on his arms, and handed them to Esteban who just stared at them in confusion.

“The Abyss is very cold. You have to protect yourself, or it will hurt you.”

It's true that his mere shirt wouldn't offer much protection against the cold ocean. He's swam in cold waters before, and was about to say so; but Karsha's concerned expression made him think twice. This place had never seen the sun, so it could be even colder than he'd think. So he said nothing, and just accepted the extra protection.

Short silvery fur, very smooth under the touch. The sleeves didn't seem that thick, but they already made him feel much warmer. They went just a bit past his wrists, for Karsha had slightly longer arms than him, and he had to roll them up a little to free his fingers.

“What about you? Won't you be cold?”

“I'm used to it, but you're not. I will be fine.”

He smiled reassuringly, so much that Esteban had no choice but to believe him.

“Now, do you remember what I showed you? How do you say if something is wrong?”

“Uh...I think it's like this?”

And he attempted a hand sign, clutching his hand over his face. 

“That's for if you're in pain. If you need air, do this.”

Karsha brought his open hand over his mouth, tapping it with his fingers. Esteban repeated the gesture, trying to get the angle right. 

“How can I call for you, if I can't shout?”

“Shine for me, and I'll feel it.”

“...”

“Ah, right. Well...keep close to me. I won't go too fast.”

“I'll do my best.”

Karsha nodded, and the two of them headed to the barrier. It kept water away and felt solid under their touch, but if they pushed a little, it eventually gave way and let them through. Esteban slowly stepped out, taking a deep breath and getting a feel for the cold water, before gathering his courage and diving out into the sea.

Karsha was right: it was awfully cold. It stung at his skin wherever it touched it, and to step from the warm Abyss air to such low temperatures almost hurt. The sleeves helped with keeping a little warmth, but it felt so useless when the rest of his clothes were not adequate at all. He was very tempted to take a step back, to return to the warm and dry air and just renounce it altogether, but Karsha's hands then wrapped around his own. He gently rubbed his fingers, showing him a smile, and invited him to take another step outwards. So, very slowly, Esteban uncoiled from his frozen position and swam out towards him. He managed to make it a few meters, before finding himself gasping for air and making a dash for the barrier again. His feet met solid ground and his lungs met warm air, and the cold that he's brought with him dissipated a little.

“I take that you don't want to?”, said Karsha, entering behind.

“No, it's not that! I just...”

He took another breath.

“I just wasn't ready. I'm coming, I'm coming...but just give me a moment.”

“That's alright. Take as long as you need.”

Esteban tried to calm his heart, to soothe his erratic breathing once more. He wasn't expecting it for sure...this definitely wouldn't be agreeable. But he said he'd do this, so he'll do this. He took another deep breath, holding in every last bit of air he could, and held Karsha's hand as they stepped outside again.

The cold water bit and stung again, but this time it was less of a surprise. He swam forward a bit, getting a feel for it, and just fought it off as he progressed. Karsha followed behind, his seaweed jewels floating like a watery mane, and showed him the way.

Once the cold put aside, it became a bit less of a trouble. His body just numbed it and ignored that nagging feeling, as he progressed through a field of seagrass. He couldn't see very far ahead, without any light to guide him, so his only guide were Karsha's tattoos, that gave off a faint glowing light. It came off as really creepy at first, until he realized that this way, he could tell where his face and hands were, even in this darkness. He'd just have to feel around with his hands to not hit a rock.

It felt so very strange. He was moving in plain darkness, his body numb with cold, his lungs aching for air, but he felt at peace. As if the cold water had some sort of calming effect, soothing his heart and cooling down his blood. He held onto Karsha's arm or waist for the most part, unable to see anything, until his chest started growing the uneasy feeling that he needed air. He hurriedly tapped his hand to his mouth, tugging on Karsha's coat, and he seemed to get the message, for he started swimming faster. Esteban just held on, trying not to give in, until they swam up and hit a bubble of air. He breathed in eagerly, trying to grasp what was going on, and it felt so welcome.

They were in some sort of rocky space, where walls were overgrown with glowing moss. There was enough room to surface up to their chest, and enough air to catch a needed break. 

“You weren't bad at all!”, Karsha cheered. “You're taking it well, for a first hunt.”

“Thanks...”, Esteban gasped. “I can't see anything out there. It's too dark.”

“That's what I was worried about...your eyes don't shine like ours. It might be a little difficult for you.”

He looked around, and picked some glowing moss off the rocks. He squished it in his hands, as if he was trying to wash it, and some of it ran off in the water. 

“With this, you can make your hands glow.”, he explained. “It's just lightleaf, it won't stick like our own, but it can help you.”

He held Esteban's hands, and rubbed some of the gooey mash on his hands. He fought away the urge to cringe at the texture, but saw that it left some sort of pollen residue on his skin. Was it the same kind of moss that he's seen in the New World, that created light out of humidity? How could it grow so deep down in the sea? The light it gave off was faint, but already better than none.

“Thanks. It'll be nice to see where I'm going.”

“Stay close.”

Karsha took a deep breath, and dove down again. Esteban did the same, and the two of them left the rocky crevice to return out into the open. 

His task was simple enough. Dig around in the sand, pull out seashells, put them in Karsha's basket. Come back to the rocks to breathe, take a moment, head out and do it again. By the fourth of fifth time, he started to barely feel the cold anymore. His lungs were getting quite strained from that breathing exercise, but he figured it was nothing too important. He was getting the job done, and that alone mattered. After a moment, his eyes even got used to the darkness, and he could see a little more clearly. But no matter how up he looked, he couldn't see any sign of sunlight peeking from above. He wondered just how deep they exactly were. 

The harvest was going great. They've got about a dozen seashells of good size, which didn't feel like much, yet Karsha was certain it was a good day. They headed out a little deeper into the seagrass field, having already searched that area, and Esteban wondered if it was safe for him to venture away from the air spot; but he figured he's had a better grasp at waterbreathing by now. Surely there was another spot in this direction, anyway.

They were quite far already, and the light of Nemishta was hidden in the distance behind some rocks. They've left the area that still benefited from its gleam, and it was now even harder to see. He had to rely on touch alone to find shells, which weren't buried too deep in the seafloor, but were small and difficult to pinpoint. His chest was aching again, but he fought it off, counting seconds in a corner of his mind. He'd feel lucky to reach forty-five while swimming, but he knew it wasn't enough. Not in a civilization of deep sea divers, whose bodies were forged for that purpose. It made him feel awkward and lagging behind, and he didn't want to be a burden on Karsha, whose own hunting dashes were slowed down by Esteban's need to regularly breathe. He'd try to fight it, to take in as much air as he could, and be of as much help as he could. 

Yet there was no fighting nature. Soon enough, his chest started to hurt again, aching with the biological urge to breathe. He tried to spot Karsha in the dark, but the light of his tattoos was faint from where he was. He'd have to head to the air spot by himself. Where was it again? He had a mental map of the area, but it was so hard to see anything. It was way too dark, and he didn't know if he could retrace his steps in the water. 

He'd have to try anyway. Letting go of his catch, he swam in large motions towards the rocks, trying to ignore the urge to breathe in. Just a little longer, and he'd get there. It was pressing against his chest, wanting to come out, but he couldn't let it. There was no sign of the other hunters, nothing he could see or hear in this dark blue nightmare. It was cold, so desperately cold, and the more he tried to fight it, the more it came back to him. Only a little more, a little longer! He could do this. They could very well, so why couldn't he? He swam forward with wide strokes, to get there faster, but the extra effort seemed like a bad idea in hindsight, for it only made the urge even greater.

Water snuck up his nose, and he tried very hard to not choke, as his heart was beating fast and all sorts of internal alarms ringing. He needed to breathe, _right now_ , but there was no way it could happen. He felt it everywhere in his body, that craving for air that nothing could quell, and every second brought him closer to wanting to open his mouth and take a deep breath, but he knew what'd happen if he tried. And he did _not_ want it to happen! He fought the urge, swam faster and faster, but his body refused to answer and he just stopped moving; his hands stuck to his mouth, trying to keep it shut at all costs, as his lungs pleaded and protested violently. Bubbles snuck from behind his fingers, carrying a muted whine of pain. He could either swim or try to not breathe in, but either way, his fate was already decided. 

He was strong, but so was nature. His hands let go, and a flurry of bubbles flew from his tired lungs. But just before he could breathe in, his body was suddenly grabbed, and something warm pressed against his mouth.

Air forced its way into his lungs, and all the bells in his head rang even louder. Some got out through his nose, but he tried his best to hold in as much as he could. He could not see what was happening, only feel that warmth that breathed right into him, and the feeling of something on his cheeks. Hands, that cupped his face and brought him closer, letting that sweet relief slither into him and bring life into his body. And that's when he noticed the faint glow of a face tattoo, right in front of his half-lidded eyes.

The warmth let go, and he managed to keep his mouth closed. Someone grabbed his body and swam forward, and he just let it happen. A few seconds later, they rushed upwards, and the air of the rocks was met with exhausted rasps of breath.

Esteban coughed out, feeling himself already choked with water, as he held onto the rocks for dear life. His lungs ached like crazy, his throat burnt from saltwater, and his heart was racing. He was alive, sure, but one second later and he surely wouldn't have had this chance. He already felt himself dying out there, in the dark waters of the Abyss, his body drifting away to join all the Nemishtari that had died before him, just a casualty among others. But then a soft hand rested on his back, and he broke from his coughing to look at that face.

“I'm sorry!”, Karsha said, a little out-breathed himself. “I didn't notice you had trouble! Had I known, I'd have come sooner! Please, Esheban, are you alright?”

“I...I think I'm...I'm fine.”

He coughed again, definitely not fine. Karsha's other hand touched to his cheek, tilting his face up, and in that moment Esteban recalled that sensation he's just felt.

“What...what did you do?”, he asked. “Right now, what did you...”

“I gave you some air and brought you straight to the rocks. It's alright, you can breathe now. Relax.”

“Gave me some air…?”

He had nothing on his person that could have done this. No watertight pouch conveniently filled with reserve air, nothing of the sort. 

“Where did you find air in the middle of the ocean? Couldn't you have told me?”

“I gave you some of mine.”

Karsha looked around, taking some deep breaths as well. 

“We should head home. Do you think you can hold it in and hold onto me?”

“I...I think.”

“Take a deep breath. There's not a lot of air in the rocks, so we can't afford to calm your heart first. Just hold tight and don't let go.”

Esteban nodded, and obediently did so. And so the two of them headed out into the water, in direction of Nemishta where the air was warm, fresh and plenty.

He was still a bit too dazed from his almost-drowning, and needed to recover. Luckily, a people of sea divers knew how to help with air deprivation sickness. The cold water also did a toll on his body, even with Karsha's gifted protection, so he'd have to lay low for a time. Luckily, Abyss shellfish made for a delicious hot soup.

He didn't think back on it until later. He's been too shocked and drowned-out to think, back in that moment, but the question kept nagging at him as he laid in the warmth of a fuzzy blanket. But the more he thought about it, and the more he felt he knew what had happened when Karsha “gave him some of his air”. 

...maybe drowning out there wouldn't have been so bad, in hindsight.


	6. Lost in Translation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Where Esteban deals with internalized homophobia, and everyone else is just like "bruh".

“Nonetheless, that was pretty impressive for your first hunt. You went farther out than little children when they try.”

“Is that supposed to cheer me up?”

“Yes. Doesn't it work?”

“...no, it's fine.”

Esteban just said nothing else, letting Panguru rub some paste over his bare chest. It stung just a little, but it managed to silence the pain in his lungs, helping his muscles relax. 

“People don't swim, in the Shalaya?”

“Well, we can swim, but we usually don't dive. We've got fishing boats, and nets…and we don't have to hold our breath while we hunt.”

“That must be boring.”

Esteban allowed himself some indignation at such casualness.

“Boring? I almost died out there!”

“We all nearly drown at some point. It's pretty much a rite of passage.”

The hunter readjusted the warm blanket on Esteban's shoulders, where it had slipped off.

“It shows you just how precious life can be. The rush of blood, the feeling in your chest, and the taste of air you finally get...kwaisha, it really takes me back, heh.”

“Has no one ever died from drowning?”

“Of course. It happens a lot. I'm sure it will happen today, too. But that's just how it is.”

He closed the pouch of soothing balm he's been using, and put it away. 

“We've all got to die someday. But until then, we help each other stay alive. There's nothing complicated about it.”

“That doesn't mean it's not scary.”

Esteban tightened the blanket around him, as the memory of this moment flashed back to his mind. His lungs gasping for air, his heart beating throughout his body, his chest madly moving up and down in supplication, his hands desperately trying to hold in his last breath… How could people be so casual about this? It wasn't “complicated”, it was horrifying! He could have died out there!!

...but he didn't. He was here, warm and surrounded with hunters and healers who took care of him. He made it out, and the pain was going away by now. That's been a horrid experience, but at least he didn't die. The bar was set so low, it could make the Abyss jealous. 

He put his shirt back on, and stood up. He was less dizzy by now, and his heart rate had quieted back to normal. Some hunters were coming back, and they had nets full of catch. It made him feel a little bad that he couldn't bring back any more than a few clams, but maybe he just wasn't cut out to be a hunter. It's not like he had any training or intended to get any; they still had a mission to carry out, and would need to leave very soon. As pleasant people as the Abyssals were, Esteban and his friends couldn't stay forever. And knowing just what life here was like made him quite uneasy about this place, in all honesty. 

“Are you feeling alright?”

He turned around, and then immediately darted his eyes away when their glances met. There was... _that_ , too. Yet Karsha was oblivious to it, still looking at him with sad puppy eyes, holding some food he likely wanted to give him. 

“I'm...fine.”, Esteban managed to say. “For the most part.”

He didn't know why he felt so awkward, but there it was. He glanced at Karsha's face, and once more noticed the bits of glowing spores right on a corner of his mouth. Instinctively, he touched to his own lips, and his fingers got stained with the same spores, the ones that were still on his hands when he was trying to keep his breath in by all means. 

Sure, he knew that it was a matter of life or death. One second more without air, and he'd have died. But still, that didn't sit right with him; it made him feel...strange. Violated, even. 

And the worst part was, Karsha didn't seem to understand any of it.

“You're looking weird.”, he said. “Are you sure you're fine? Is there something you...”

“I'm good. I just...”

He didn't want to be hurtful at all. He knew he'd be wrong. Still, _still…!_

“I just feel...so awkward.”

“...I don't understand why. You will have to explain.”

He put down the food on a nearby stand, and sat down on the ground. Esteban didn't even know where to begin, what to say, or even how to make sense of his own emotions. He didn't want to explain what should be obvious! It was humiliating, that's all!

“Esteban!”

Sweet, sweet relief. Zia and Tao had made their way to the hunters' camp, with visible worry on their faces. He's never been happier to see them than now. 

“We heard that you got hurt! Are you alright?!”

“I'm good. I...we went out fishing, and I couldn't hold my breath for long. But I'm fine, see.”

“That was risky! Even for you.”

He shrugged.

“I thought I could make it. I'm a good swimmer, it didn't look that hard...”

He gazed at the barrier, at the darkness of the sea beyond.

“I was quickly proved wrong, I guess.”

“We're in a deep part of the sea.”, Zia explained. “The water is heavier and colder than what you're used to. That's why all the creatures look different.”

The hunters had brought back some fishes, that they've let to dry on bone racks. They had something of horrible sea monsters, with sharp teeth, spiked fins and other features no surface fish had. He doubted they were even edible. 

“They look normal to me.”, Karsha shrugged. “But I have never seen a shalayari fish.”

“They tend to be smaller.”, Tao simply said. “And...less sharp.”

Pichu landed on the drying rack, examining the fish. When one twitched with a last semblance of life, the poor parrot flew away in a fright, shedding some feathers as usual. Karsha picked these up, examining them for a moment, while Esteban turned to his friends.

“We should be thinking about when we'll leave. We can't stay here forever!”

“Of course not. The Kalium is recharging its batteries, it's almost done. But I thought you wanted to explore?”

“Forget it. We've got a mission, and we must hurry!”

“Why so?”, Zia asked. “We've still got the lead on Ambrosius. We can take the time to discover this lost civilization!”

“I mean, for _once_ that we're onto something related to Atlantis...”, Tao chuckled. “Don't you have more handspeak lessons to learn?”

Esteban didn't reply. Zia was the first to sense his unease.

“Is there...something wrong, Esteban? You're unusually silent.”

“Of course not. Why would there be?”

Alright, maybe snapping out wasn't the best way to convey his message. It only made Zia frown some more.

“...what's with your mouth? You keep wiping it. Is something the matter?”

Has he been doing that? He drew his hand away from his face, having not noticed he's indeed been nervously wiping at his lips so much that the remaining glowing moss was gone. The phantom sensation was just too potent, and he could not shake it off his mind ever since he's realized what had happened, out in the seagrass field. The feeling of another mouth pressed against his own, of air forcefully blown into his lungs made him feel dirty, especially knowing it had been from someone else's breath. It felt...it felt nasty, that's all! He didn't like it! 

“I...”

And worst of all, he didn't know how to explain it. 

“I get it.”, Tao then said. “You've almost drowned, so you still feel out of it.”

“I...what?”

“Don't worry. These guys are expert sea divers, that's practically their life now! They know what they're doing. They'll help you out.”

“I know. But maybe I _don't_ want their help.”

It felt so weird to say, and he felt rude and ungrateful. They've saved his life, and he should be thankful, but he could not shake off the dirty feeling that had taken a hold of him.

“Have they...done something to you?”, Zia asked, a hint of fright in her voice.

“What? No, it's not that! It's...it's just that...”

Oh, Coyolite above, how could he explain? He was so lost in his thoughts that he did not hear Karsha come back their way. 

“What are those things?”, he asked, holding Pichu's feathers. “They're very soft.”

“Karsha, could you tell us what happened with Esteban, please? He seems upset for some reason.”

Esteban wanted to tell her to stay quiet, but Karsha was too oblivious. 

“I'm not sure. He didn't tell me what upset him. I fear I have done something wrong.”

“What exactly did you do?”

“Well...”

He tried to recall.

“We went out hunting for shells. I showed him the hollow rocks, where we could pause to breathe, and I gave him some lightleaf on his hands to see where he was going.”

“Oh, so that's the glowing stuff.”

“We stayed in the seagrass field, by the rocks, but then we started to go further. I...I did not notice right away that he was running out of air. I gave him some of mine as we headed to the rocks, and then we decided it would be best to return home.”

Zia tilted her head a bit, and Esteban just looked away. Obviously, none of this would register as offensive or upsetting, and it just made him look like an ungrateful jerk. 

“It's nothing.”, he said. “Forget it. I was just being stupid.”

“It's not nothing.”, Karsha said. “You are upset and I don't want you to stash away your feelings.”

“It's nothing, I tell you! Maybe you wouldn't even understand. I'm fine, I'll be fine.”

Karsha sighed. Esteban couldn't help feeling like a jerk, and his friends probably were judging him as one right now. He knew it wasn't Karsha's fault, only his own, and he only felt more and more stuck. He'd have to explain it sooner or later, yet the embarrassment was just too great. 

“I...I mean. I'm glad you helped me, I just...well...”

He felt his cheeks heating up. Ugh, would he ever live this down?! There was no way around it; he took a deep breath, and let it out in a confused sentence.

“I-I-I didn't like that you kissed me, that's all!!”

And he hid his face away. He'd never wanted to burrow into the ground as much as he did now, and he could feel the stares of everyone within earshot locking straight onto him. He would never recover from it, and this would follow him forever until the end of his life.

But to that, Karsha simply tilted his head.

“Kissed you? What does that mean?”

He turned to Tao and Zia, who were frozen silent.

“What does he mean?”

“...wait. You two did what?!”

“Well, that's what I'd like to know! Again with your nonsense shalayari words that I don't understand!”

He chuckled, taking it in good humor, but his confusion was real and present. 

“I mean...I know I did something upsetting. But I don't know what. Was it because I failed to intervene in time? I want to apologize, Esheban, but I can't do it if you don't tell me what it is.”

“I just told you!”

He glared at him, somewhat angrily, but was just met with more confusion. Tao glanced between the two of them, before piping up.

“Um...Karsha, do you even know what a kiss is?”

“Obviously not!”, he puffed, starting to be a little annoyed. “I can't magically know about things I don't know, if you're not telling me!”

“You have no idea? None at all? I mean, even at your age...”

Karsha simply crossed his arms, frowning a little. 

“You know, I could ask you the same about many concepts I know you wouldn't understand. I could be appalled at you having no mae'dryka at your age, and draw false conclusions from it about you and your life ambitions. But I don't. Because I know we're different. So if I'm not expecting you to understand my words, you must not expect me to get yours!”

He huffed, starting to get angry. Zia stepped forward, trying to reconcile.

“We're sorry. We're just...trying to piece things together. Really, I'm as confused as you are.”

“It's fine.”

“So. Did you and Esteban...touch mouths at any point?”

“Of course. I gave him air.”

Esteban only turned even more away, so much he was starting to look in their direction again. 

“...is that what's upsetting you? That we touched mouths?”

“…yes.”, he finally answered, feeling his ears getting red. “We're not supposed to do that!”

Karsha blinked, finally putting things together. 

“I think I see. Well, part of it.”

“You have to excuse him.”, Zia said. “Where Esteban comes from, kissing before marriage is...well, it's not supposed to happen. It's private.”

“Really? But how do you give each other...ah, right, you don't swim.”

It kind of made sense, all things considered. Saving lives was more important than courtship etiquette, in the Abyss; maybe with time, touching lips had lost its romantic connotations. 

“That makes me curious as to how you guys show affection to one another.”, Tao pondered.

“Hm? Oh, like this.”

Karsha called one of his young hunter friends over, and they exchanged some pleasantries in handspeak. Esteban looked over, his uneasiness slowly passing. And then, the two Abyssals put their foreheads together, gently touching noses. No embarrassment, no questions asked, just the casual aspect of a handshake between business partners. The other hunter greeted the children in turn, before going back on their way. 

“I like showing affection. It feels nice. Doesn't it for you?”

“It does. But kisses...they're a little special.”

“I'm not sure I understand fully, but now I know.”

He then turned to Esteban, who shyly met eyes with him.

“I want to say I'm sorry I upset you. I did this to help you, but I did not think about how you would feel about it. I assumed you had no problem with it, and I thought wrong. I hurt you, and I'm sorry. Please, allow me to make it up to you, any way you see fit.”

“I...I'm fine. It was an emergency situation, after all...I'm glad you acted as you did.”

He glanced away.

“I'm not angry. I thought...well, I don't know what I thought. I guess I was just surprised, but...I shouldn't have taken it out on you. I'm sorry I lashed out, you did this to save me and that's how I thank you… I can understand your confusion. I'm so sorry.”

“I forgive you.”

And he opened his arms. Esteban froze for a moment, then looked at Tao and Zia who were still watching him with apprehension. Well...no point turning back now. He accepted the embrace, and let Karsha hug him tight. His clothes were still slightly damp from his dive outside, and the moisture felt fresh against his heated face. On the spot, it was quite welcome. 

“I'm not sure of what this entails, however.”, Karsha said after they parted. “Are we now bound by something? Do I have any obligations to you?”

“What? No, it's...it's nothing official. Not really.”

“I wouldn't mind marrying you. I mean, I don't know you that much, but if that's you want me to do...”

“Wait, what?”

Esteban blanked out, completely flabbergasted by the mere prospect of it. Luckily, his friends' intervention saved him from even more embarrassment.

“Nothing of the sort, Karsha! It's alright. You don't have to do anything.”

“I mean, you're kind of young to get married, after all.”

“I...don't know how you can say that, considering I'm of age.”

And he touched to the upright sealeaves on his head, as if that should convey some meaning they didn't quite get. 

“...you may be, but I'm not.”, Esteban perked. “I...I'm way too young for marriage!”

“Alright. I am glad to know that. I wasn't able to tell, and I thought it would be rude to ask.”

These guys were definitely weird. Wholesome, but weird. 

“...that reminds me.”, Tao wondered. “Since we're asking uneasy questions right now, Karsha; no matter how I look at you, I can't tell if you're a boy or a girl. Care to, well, enlighten us?”

Karsha simply blinked.

“Those are words I don't understand either.”

“Heh, yeah, I know. No but, in all seriousness?”

“In all seriousness, I don't know what you mean.”

They looked at him like he was crazy, but he didn't budge or start laughing, only stared at them with more confused eyes. 

“...you know? Boys and girls, men and women?”

“I don't understand, sorry.”

“What do you mean? I can buy you don't know about kissing, but...men and women? You know what marriage is, right?”

“Of course I do.”

“Then you know men marry women, and the other way around.”

“Oh.”

Karsha pondered it for a moment.

“But I'm not married yet. So...which one am I?”

“Wh-? You should know!”

“But I don't…?”

He let out a little embarrassed chuckle. Oh dear, if he truly was serious, then their whole society was even weirder than they'd have envisioned. And this time, they wouldn't be able to explain it without getting into veeery awkward and uncomfortable territory.

“You Shalayari people sure are strange! But that's what makes you so entertaining. What do your words even mean?”

“...you know what, nevermind. It's something you know since you're born, so it can't be explained easily.”

“You're quick to give up.”, Tao commented.

“I almost died today. Cut me some slack.”

Zia simply chuckled at that. 

“I will admit your society is fascinating. You obviously have different cultural norms, but now you make me curious. Do you think you could tell us?”

“Sure. Yet I've got some work to finish first, if you don't mind.”

“Take your time.”

Karsha smiled, putting Pichu's feathers in his belt pouch, and making his way to the hunters. But before going away, he turned around, and glanced at Esteban, who met his eyes with slight apprehension.

He looked like he was about to say something, but decided not to. Esteban didn't want to bother him either, so he said nothing. Eventually, they parted ways, and he returned to his friends' side, still not knowing what to think. 

“...so how was it?”, Tao then asked. 

“How was what?”

“Having your first kiss with an Abyssal Atlantean.”

Esteban tried to slap him away, embarrassment running back up at full speed.

“That didn't count!”, he defended himself. “That wasn't a kiss, it was...air sharing! It doesn't count!”

“Why wouldn't it?”

“I mean, it was not the intent. I don't think it counts.”

“Of course it doesn't count! We...we touched mouths, but that wasn't kissing!”

“That's the _literal definition_ of kissing!”

“It's not!”

“Of course it's not. Your honor is still intact, Esteban, you don't have to worry.”

“It's not my honor that I worry about… I can't help but feel like I've crossed a line somewhere.”

Esteban nervously rubbed at his arms. 

“Like I wasn't supposed to do that, you know?”

“Well...again, there was no ill intent behind it. I don't see anything wrong.”

“He did give you his own breath to save you. That's pretty noble.”

Still, it didn't sit right with him.

“...is it because you're both boys?”

“What? N-No, of course not! It's not that!!”

“Esteban, stop trying to hide it. I know how flustered you get when that topic comes up.”

“I'm not like that! I swear!!”

“You know it's allowed. It was allowed in both Mu _and_ Atlantis.”

“I know, I know! It's just...”

Ugh. Again, he felt like such a jerk. 

“It's just...sudden. That's all.”

Tao gave him a heavily doubtful face, and Zia simply sighed at his pushiness. 

“...you're allowed to not like it.”, she eventually said. “But it pains me to see you make such a big deal of it to the point it hurts you.”

She stood to his side, and gently held his hand.

“Do you want to talk about it?”

“...I'm good. I just...need a moment to sort my thoughts. I know I shouldn't make a big deal out of it, but...”

“But you do feel strongly about it, even if you don't know what exactly you're feeling.”

...he couldn't believe how easy it was to read into him. Was his heart plastered on his face for all to see? Or was he just that bad at concealing his emotions?

“...I mean, he's not really a boy.”, Tao piped in. “So it's alright.”

“Let's not go there. My head's hurting too much already.”

“At least if your head splits apart, you'll get an open mind.”

“If I were not still in a mess, I'd slap you so hard for that one alone.”

“I'd deserve it.”

Tao chuckled, and Esteban eventually did the same. The bad feeling in his chest had passed, and while he still felt a tingle, it wasn't a dirty one. He could deal with this, sure. He could make sense of his confusion, until it'd eventually pass and he'd just accept it. 

Still, he couldn't wait to get back to the surface. This world, while pleasant, was maybe a bit too strange for him.


	7. Unbroken Cycle of Flesh and Bones

“I think that's it.”

Tao turned another page, and held up the book at the wall's level. Indeed, the carvings shared similarities with the depicted symbols, and a few details matched perfectly. 

“The solarbeam. A weapon of mass destruction, mounted onto a flying fortress. One strike of this heat ray could eradicate an entire town in a moment's notice.”

He pointed to a rough sketch of the fortress in question. A gigantic form with wings big enough to cover the sky, if the towers pictured underneath were of any scale indication. 

“It... _does_ look like a huge beast!”, Zia noticed. “If it fires from its head, it would look like it can spit fire.”

“I can see how people think of it as a dragon. It really looks like one.”, Esteban commented. “But how can we know it's the same thing as the one pictured here?”

“We've got no way to know for sure. Unless we can take a peek at the solar stone...from what I've read, it's easily identifiable. But that's not happening anytime soon.”

Esteban looked at the carved wall. At the depiction of the Beast of Destruction, engulfing the world in its flames. 

“The seventh City of Gold...all along, it's been the weapon that brought down Mu and Atlantis.”

“I can see why the Sages would want us to find it. In the wrong hands, it could end the world as we know it! It's too dangerous to be left roaming.”

“Except that we don't know where it is. It likely fell into the sea, but where exactly? We've got no clues.”

“We could explore the seafloor with the Kalium?”, Esteban suggested. “And the Abyssal divers know the area very well. They could help us.”

“Without any directions, that could take months! We don't have that kind of time. I'm sure Ambrosius has already found a way to locate it.”

“How could he do that? Come up with some beacon to find an armed flying fortress in the middle of nowhere?”

“That wouldn't work.”, Zia scoffed. “Wouldn't be the first time.”

“Well, we've got to try anyway. There's got to be some clue as to where it is now. We could at least ask them if they know anything.”

It was as good an idea as any other, and it's not like they had any other idea to work with. After all, they were here for a reason, and maybe Nemishta was less of a detour and more of a key part of their trail.

Humans could only swim so far out, even with years of training and centuries of adaptation. The Abyssals' knowledge of the seafloor only extended to about a few hundred meters around the city, with occasional branching areas surrounding breathing spots. Most hunting was done above the city, where fish actually circulated, while seafloor exploration usually wielded shells, squids and whichever rare plants could thrive at this depth. It was impressive that they could survive at all, but that was very likely the solar stone's doing. 

There was a small group of people gathered nearby. Wasting no time, Zia went to them, tapped on someone's arm to get their attention, and the two immediately started exchanging signs. 

“Bah? Where'd you learn to handspeak?”, Esteban asked, following her.

“You're not the only one making friends here. I've been hanging out with the healers.”

She chuckled.

“For mostly mute people, they're surprisingly loquacious.”

Esteban forbade himself to get jealous. 

However, it was obvious the conversation was a bit uneasy. The entire group seemed distraught, speaking in hushed hands with worry on their faces, and it didn't take long for Zia to pick it up. The young woman she was speaking to was seemingly trying to explain, but with mixed results.

“...so? What's she saying?”, Tao asked after a moment.

“I...I'm not sure. I don't know that word.”

She tried to copy it, and Esteban attempted to follow up. That twist of her left wrist meant it was a verb, and her clawed fingers were a modifier, but he forgot which one. Her right hand described a wave-like gesture, and he could swear he knew that word, but right now his lessons were a little fuzzy.

“If I take it literally, it means...'violent water'. I think she's saying she...no, someone was...hurt by water?”

Hurt by water? Esteban turned to the healer, and motioned that he didn't know. Cetea tilted her head, unsure as to what he could mean, and repeated slowly. “A person was hurt by water”; eventually, it was her distraught face, and the avoiding looks of the other people, that cued him.

“Someone...drowned?”

He put his hands to his throat and mouth, mimicking having a hard time to breathe, and Cetea nodded. It took another second for the message to fully hit, at what Zia softly gasped.

“Someone drowned? Did...did they...?”

This time, no need for any signs or words to convey the answer. Her face was enough.

It was bound to happen, in the Abyss. In a world where survival is everything, not everyone makes it alive. Some end up paying the price.

“...I'm so sorry.”

There was no need to, but it just felt like the right thing. It wasn't the first time the children have been faced with the death of someone they didn't know, and awkwardly stood on the sidelines while their people mourned and hurt. They've never known those people, they could never know how much they were allowed to mourn along, and yet doing nothing would be insensitive. Their status as outsiders meant they could not partake, most of the time, but it just felt wrong to completely ignore the suffering of others. Really, it always put them in a very awkward place, so they've learned over time to not make waves and leave the people be, unless they were specifically asked otherwise.

Not that it was an easy task at all. 

“We...maybe should wait a little.”, Tao suggested. “They're all a pretty close-knit bunch, so when someone dies, they're bound to be all affected in some way.”

“I hate to admit it, but that's right. Let's return to the Kalium and leave them be for now.”

Reasonable enough. That way, they could figure out the rest of the plan.

The crab-like tank was still at rest, currently used by some children like a climbing game. The legs were sturdy enough, luckily, so the thing couldn't fall or topple over and hurt them. The inside was warm, decorated with swirly patterns reminiscent of the Thallios's, and always that distinct smell of old seaweed. They've found it in a cave off the coast of France, while chasing a lead found in the sixth City of Gold.

They had no idea where to go. But now, they knew that the seventh City, the answer to all their questions, might lay somewhere in this ocean. Everything had a meaning, everything would find its solution at some point; was that not the proof that things were starting to do well?

They would find it. They would find the Wardragon, they would solve all the mysteries. For now, they just needed to stay put, and seriously think their next move.

~~~~~ 

It was a noise that woke Esteban from his sleep. 

He looked around, confused as to what was happening, his reading material having slipped out of his hands when he had dozed off. He picked it up, and turned to the source of the sound, which was the glass window: he saw that a hand was gently tapping. Was someone knocking? Seeing that his friends were still chatting over maps, he put down Tao's book, got up the ladder and opened the hatch, and stepped down the Kalium's leg, to see whom it could be.

“...hi there, Esheban.”

“Oh...hi.”

Rats. For some reason, seeing Karsha here made Esteban a little tense. His usual smile had gone, and he was rubbing his arm nervously, in a manner that couldn't mean well. Esteban got down to the ground, meeting his level, and the two of them exchanged a slightly uneasy glance.

“So...how are you?”, Esteban asked, trying to be polite. “Do you...need anything?”

“I come to you from Selaka's behalf.”

“Your mother?”

“Yes. She would like to...well, she wanted to know if you would come to the ras'mirasora with us.”

Esteban blinked.

“The...what now?”

“You know. The feast of death?”

That name took him quite aback. 

“Whoa there, what even is that?”

“You don't have that on Shalaya?”

“Well...I don't even know what it is, so no.”

Again, it was a little awkward. Karsha glanced away, looking like he'd rather not be there, but likely out of consideration for his mother's feelings, he carried on speaking.

“I think you know that Scomber died, today. He was one of the hunters. So...now, we will have a big meal together.”

Esteban felt a little confused. He heard Tao and Zia come from the Kalium as well; likely they've felt he'd need some support.

“A big meal?”, Zia asked. “As in...a ritual feast?”

“Yes. We will get together and eat meat, and remember our departed friend. We'll be...telling stories about him, what he was like, and share memories.”

He shrugged.

“You don't have to come if you don't want to. You didn't know him, I understand you wouldn't feel at ease. But all the hunters and their friends will be there, and I'll be there too. And you're staying with us, so...Selaka thinks you might feel left out.”

“Well...”

Honestly, he wasn't sure they were supposed to even be there. If their presence was wanted, then it was something else; but Karsha didn't seem quite enchanted by that idea. Sure, he was grieving, which could explain his somber expression, but he was also actively avoiding Esteban's eyes and being a little distant, which was rather unusual. 

“It's an honor.”, Zia replied. “We would love to be there.”

“If you want us to be.”

Again, Karsha wriggled his head in hesitation. 

“I would love to.”, he said. “A feast of death is an occasion to be friendly, and reminisce happy memories. But...”

His hand nervously clenched over his arm. 

“I just...I don't know. What if you don't like it?”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean that...it can be a hard time for us. A lot of us have lost people we love, and it hurts sometimes. If you start judging us, it will be so much harder.”

Esteban's thoughts froze in their train.

“Judge you? What do you mean?”

“Oh, you know.”

He frowned a little. 

“You don't like that we hunt fish, or speak with our hands more than our voices, or share air with our mouths. And you're so shocked and loud, every time...what if you see something you don't like, again? What if you get angry because we do things you don't do? That is fine for little things, but a ras'mirasora is a big thing. People will be very sad and they don't need to be told what they're doing is bad.”

Karsha then blinked, as if he's just realized what he's said. 

“...I don't want to speak bad things about you.”, he added, more quietly. “But I just don't know when you'll start being angry about us again. Now of all times would not be the moment, and I tried to tell Selaka, but she insisted.”

Esteban's chest started to feel heavy. Like something was weighing him down hard, even lower than the Abyss itself. Has he...really been this insensitive? This judgmental? He tried to deny it, to tell himself that this was wrong, but he had to admit that Karsha was right. This boy had saved him from drowning, and his first reaction had been shame and anger. Wasn't that the mark of insensitivity and judgment?

He had to do better. He had to prove him that he wasn't like that. And to prove himself, too; that would be even harder, for now he was truly doubting himself. But he couldn't bear to see Karsha so hurt, not when the boy never had anything but good intentions. These people were strange, but they were Atlanteans just like him: the least he could do would be to make an effort to understand them.

“...I've done you bad.”, he eventually said. “I've been a jerk to you and your culture. But I'm ready to atone, if I need to.”

Karsha didn't seem to believe him. So, gently, he put a hand on his arm.

“I'll do my best to be worth the honor. It's something important to you, so...I'll do it. We'll come.”

That seemed to have the least amount of conviction. But it'd do. 

“Well...I'm glad to hear that.” Karsha simply said.

“Where will it take place?”, Zia asked.

“By the house with the three blue stones. There will be a group fire, you'll find it easily.”

“Do we have to show up at a specific time?”

“I'm not sure. Scomber's family needs to prepare the body, and we'll gather when it's done. Then we'll eat, and...and then we'll see.”

The premise was a little grim, but such were funerary rites. Esteban nodded, trying to sound as friendly as possible.

“We'll be there. And we'll be open-minded.”

“I mean, you can choose not to, but...that'd be a little mean.”

And Karsha let slip a slight smile. 

“I...see you have work to do. I wouldn't keep you away from it. Most likely, see you tonight.”

“See you.”

He walked away, leaving them there. Only when he was out of sight did Esteban let his words out again.

“...do you think I'm making a mistake?”

“I wouldn't go as far as to say that. Let's say you've got much repairwork to do, if you two still want to be friends.”

“Don't put that pressure on him, Tao. We've got to be respectful, that's all.”

“Also, I'll admit I'm pretty curious. How do Abyssals take care of their dead ones? Surely there must be burial grounds somewhere.”

Esteban looked up at the ocean above their heads.

“What if they just release them to the ocean? To reach the heavens.”

“I guess we'll find out. I still think it'll be a bit awkward, if people start crying.”

“Come on. Even in the face of death, they want us to be included. The least we can do is to show up and pay our respects.”

That would still be an uneasy occasion. But Karsha described it as a happy one, full of cheer and good memories, so perhaps it wouldn't be so bad.

~~~~~ 

Indeed, it didn't start out so bad.

The mood was obviously a little gloomy, for the loss of a loved one was never easy. Scomber was one of the biggest hunters of the group, stern but with the ability to crack a mean joke. Esteban has never talked to him, only seen him in passing, but listening to the stories of those who knew him, it almost felt like the man could have been one of his friends. 

From what he gathered, there has been a big commotion when the gowren was finally caught. The gigantic creature, which he understood to be some kind of whale, had struggled and fought in the trap laid by the hunters. And it would have broken out and wasted everyone's efforts, if not for the hunter's commitment to killing it, fighting it underwater until his literal last breath. Such a beast was too valuable to be left alive, and its meat and bones would be of tremendous help to fend off starvation. Esteban had seen it being hauled in by the rest of the hunters, and couldn't help but agree: a beast this size could feed an entire fleet!

“Of course, it's sad to see a life lost.”, someone had said. “But if we manage to keep that gowren's carcass, many children will grow strong and healthy. Many new lives will be born. We have to do all we can to keep the cycle going.”

Hunting was dangerous. The creatures of the Abyss were ruthless, born from the Wardragon's blood, and the only way to match their fierceness was to consume them in turn. In such a barren underwater wasteland, it was survival that mattered most.

“Are the beasts of the Shalaya such dangerous, too?”

“Well...there are some, yes. But there are much more docile ones too. We raise them for food...I thought you did that too?”

“What, the desha? They have little meat. Very soft, though.”

Seals were the cattle of the sea. They were not herded as much as simply accustomed to human presence, and left roaming free instead of kept in pens or enclosures. But they'd always come back, for food was hard to come by at such depths without a little help, and they needed air to live. They had their territory in a corner of the city bubble, down the canals' stream, and were left alone for the most part. “Shepherds” would simply leave them with food so they'd stay in that area, and carry away the dead or wounded seals. Their shimmery, soft fur was ideal for making swimming garments, and their blubber was an important source of nutrients. It was a cycle of taking and giving, as with everything else in nature; a self-sustaining ecosystem, from which both species would benefit. 

Abyssal philosophy was deeply rooted in this idea. Everything was a cycle, nothing had a clear end or beginning. Humans were a part of nature, and to force it to bend to their will would break its fragile balance. Everything could find its place, everything had a use, and to waste anything would be a stupid idea. 

“Surely you don't eat _all_ parts of a fish? What about the heads?”

“Don't toss them, they make a lovely broth.”

“And the tiny sharp bones? And the fins?”

“If you boil them for a long time with freshwater, they make bonemilk. It's used in medicine, but it helps plants grow, too.”

“Anything that has meat on its bones can be eaten.”

Frankly, their ability to find uses for every last little thing was almost frightening. But it made sense, too: resources were very hard to come by, so anything that could be used and reused, would be. This ensured their city stayed clean, and that future generations would always have something to build in turn with. 

Really, it was easy to forget why they were gathered here in the first place. They've been jumping from story to story for a while now, so much that they've lost sense of what they were talking about to start with. The salt fire was going down, and a dim light had settled over the area. It was peaceful, everyone was in a good mood. It was a pretty good time.

“I'm getting hungry.”, Tao said after a time. “When will the feast start?”

“Be patient.”, Zia replied. “Have you seen the meat on that whale? It's going to take a long while to cook.”

One of the crafters, who's been sitting with them for a moment, turned in their direction.

“You mean the gowren? We won't be eating that today.”

“Really?”

“Of course not. It is supposed to last us for a long time, so it will be salted for later. And even the rest will take a while to cut down.”

“I heard whale meat is delicious. Some sailors back in Spain talk of it like a luxury.”

“It's true that it's very hard to catch. The best part is the tail; that's what we give our sick ones.”

“Why is that?”

“So they can heal faster, of course. Not all food is the same, so the best meals go to those who need it. Don't eat khe'beite if you're not pregnant, you know what I'm saying?”

“...I don't.”

Well, that made sense. Food and health were intrinsically tied, after all. 

“I hope we don't get bad bits just because we're healthy.”, Tao joked.

“The best bits will go to his family first. That's proper.”

“The best bits of...what, exactly?”

The crafter didn't reply, and instead turned around. For indeed, the smell of food had just hit them, and they could tell the fun was about to begin.

An old woman had brought out a large dish filled with meat, both cooked and raw, and people were starting to gather around. They were silent for the most part, their stories and jokes quieted down, and a wave of solemnity had washed over the crowd. They sat down for the most part, as the grandmother put down the food by the fire. The children also watched, intriguing as to what exactly was going on.

The old woman picked a juicy piece of red meat, wrapped in seaweed like a Chinese riceball. It was still dripping with blood, and many people were looking at it with an expression Esteban couldn't decipher, but that struck him as some form of respectful jealousy.

“Corhyn, his faithful companion, who will be the mother of his child. May his heart bring you the strength to carry on in life.”

A younger woman then stood up, wearing the tied down sealeaves of married adults. She was a few months pregnant, and walked with a bit of difficulty to the grandmother, who handed her the piece of meat. She took it with reverence, respectfully bowing her head, and returned to the others. She looked about to cry, and the jealousy that subsisted all around faded into sadder tones.

“Sarda, Thunnus, his caring brothers. You have watched over him for all his life, and you have loved him. May his lungs bring your own breath where his own couldn't.”

Two young men stepped forward, and each accepted a wrapped piece. They too looked as if they've been crying, and went to sit with their brother's widow, comforting her with gestures.

The distribution continued. The old woman, which Esteban understood to be Scomber's mother, would call a name and hand them a selected piece of meat, always speaking of the food as if it would give them some blessing. As if it would confer them the qualities and strengths of the deceased hunter. It was rather touching, and people were honored to be called up and personally given some. 

After the deceased's family, it was the turn of his close friends. Most of them were hunters, that was no surprise, but there were many from other circles. Karsha was called as well, and he was given a piece of cooked meat, claiming it would help him grow strong. He accepted it with the same reverence, and returned to his mother's side to share it with her.

“That's a strange custom.”, Tao commented at some point. “But it's not bad.”

“It's a bit weird. It sounds like they're figuratively eating him.”

“It's seal meat. They wouldn't literally eat him, would they?”

They chuckled at the thought, as gruesome as it was. True that they were pretty keen on not wasting anything, but that would just be taking the idea too far.

...right?

After everyone in the deceased's close circle had been personally given some piece of the seal, the grandmother turned to the crowd, and told them that even if they did not know her son personally, they were still part of the big family of the Abyss. Their grief was as valid and welcome as that of his family's, and they were welcome to take part in the ras'mirasora if they desired to. There was still a pretty big share of meat on display, and while a few people left, others stayed to partake. 

“You guys hungry? I won't lie, I'm pretty eager now.”

“Why not.”

The kids stood up, and headed to the fire where the food was kept warm. There was no line nor hassle, everyone just picked what they wanted and made sure to leave plenty for the others. It was quite orderly, since people had the decency to let the elderly, pregnant and children go first. Though it was a little surprising to see nothing but red meat on the table, and no greens or seafood at all. No ocean bread, no shellfish soup, not even drinks.

Some bell in Esteban's head started to ring.

“Guys...are you sure you want to eat that?”, he asked quietly.

Zia turned to him.

“If I'm being honest...I'm not sure. I don't see a lot of vegetables here.”

“You heard them.”, Tao shrugged. “It's a feast, that's why they went all-out on the meat. I mean, I won't complain.”

He looked around at the cuts still on display, as Pichu perched on the table. The parrot took a look as well, but as soon as he got close, he immediately started flying away.

“Danger, danger!”, he called.

“Eh? What's gotten into you, Pichu?”

“Danger, danger! Hurt!!”

And he hid away in Tao's robe, leading him to step away as to not cause a scene. 

“What do you mean?”, he asked. “It can't be poisoned, is it?”

“Help, help...Pichu afraid!”

He looked terrorized, for some reason that couldn't be understood. Esteban looked at the table again, and saw some ribs that have just been cut and cooked. That meat looked just fine, but...something was off.

He's seen an Abyss seal before. He's seen those long, scrawny water dogs. And even if there were some big ones, they ribcages were certainly not _that_ big.

_The best bits of...what, exactly?_

“Guys...”

His heart started to pound. It couldn't be, no. It couldn't be possible.

“I...I don't think that's seal.”

“Then...what is it?”

 _We always try to shine_ those _we eat; it's more respectful._

He didn't want to know. He didn't want to speak it. But the palor of his face spoke for himself, as he looked at his friends with absolute terror.

“...wait. You don't...you can't possibly mean that…?”

His blood ran cold, and a dreadful feeling squeezed his chest tighter than it ever has been.

_Anything that has meat on its bones can be eaten._

His heart felt like it was about to stop. He was going to scream, there was no other way. Zia's hands put to her mouth when she realized, and she eyed the meat with absolute horror. Tao was silent, not yet getting it, but it would only be a matter of time. Any moment now, and he would scream in abject horror.

But before that could happen, a hand laid on his shoulder.

“Let's go.”, Karsha said.

And before anything could be said or done, he has whisked the three of them off to the side, away from the feast. Esteban followed along, because at this point there was nothing else he could do. It's as if all willpower had left him, replaced with absolute fear and disgust as his only emotions. 

When he felt they were far enough away from the crowd, he let his feelings speak. He jerked Karsha's guiding hand away, and stared at him in utter spite.

“How can you do this!?”, he hissed between his teeth. “One of your friends has died, and you're...you've…!!”

Karsha simply held his stare, but stayed silent. That only fueled Esteban's rage even more, so much he could barely speak. It was Zia's voice that broke the tense silence.

“You're... _eating him._ ”, she said in a whisper. “You're cannibals.”

“I don't know what that means.”, Karsha replied. “But I see that it's the thing that upset you.”

He shrugged.

“You promised to not make a scene, but I knew it was a matter of time. I suppose it can't be helped. Just go ahead and do your thing while no one's watching.”

Esteban's fist clenched. The air around them got warmer, charged with slivers of ire like static electricity. Sensing an outburst about to happen, Tao quickly got a hold of his arm, to try and calm him down.

“I can't believe it.”, Zia continued. “You're...you're cannibals! You're eating the flesh of your own kind!”

“I suppose...that's not what you do?”

“What we do!?”, Esteban interjected. “Do you realize what you're doing?!Do you have _any idea_ of how crazy and wrong that is!?”

“That's the point, I don't!”, Karsha hissed. “That's why I didn't want you to come. I knew there'd be something wrong with what we're doing, and I was just waiting around to see what exactly would trigger your reaction.”

He sighed in mild annoyance.

“It just can't be helped.”

“You don't understand.”, Zia picked up. “It's not just a cultural difference. Eating the flesh of humans is a very grave offense! It's...it's one of the greatest taboos that exist!”

“It's disgusting!”, Esteban added. “You're desecrating your dead! That's completely sick!!”

Faced with so much anger, Karsha took a step back. His annoyance had shifted to unease, perhaps even fear. He was likely expecting a bad reaction, but certainly not one so big.

“I mean...a lot of cultures of the world think the same.”, Tao added, a bit more calmly. “Even in dire times, eating your own kind is...something you just don't do. I've seen a lot of things, but that's just...that's just too much for me. I'm sorry.”

He turned his head away, as if he were getting sick. Karsha glanced away, thoroughly uncomfortable.

“Well...that's how we do.”, he justified. “How was I supposed to know you'd find it offensive? Everyone here thinks it's natural.”

“That's the point!!”

Esteban jerked Tao's arm away. 

“You've been here for so long, you've lost all sense of morality! You're just doing whatever you please, and then claim it's normal for you!!”

“Well, what are we supposed to do!? Just leave their bodies out there to rot, and starve in turn!?”

“Just because you're living in a harsh world doesn't mean you have to resort to such...extremities! That's completely sadistic!!”

“Because you think we _like it_?!”

And Karsha had shoved his finger at Esteban's chest, so much that a disturbing feeling crept through him and stopped him for a moment. In his anger, Karsha had shone him, and electricity was pouring out of him like the tears of his eyes.

“You think I _wanted_ to lose my friend?! You think it's easy for me to eat the flesh of someone I held dear?! You think we're cruel sadists who see each other but as pieces of meat waiting to be devoured!?”

He was sobbing. His words were getting slurred, and his big eyes were slick with tears. 

“I loved him! He taught me so much about hunting! He gave his life so that we could survive, and not starve like so many of us have starved before! Do you think I wanted to lose him? Do you think I'd be cruel enough to do horrible things to his remains, when all I wanted was for him to live!?”

His throat was wheezing, he had difficulty to breathe. He didn't even bother speaking any more words, and just fell to his knees, sobbing his heart out. The electricity dissipated, and Esteban's anger softened. 

“...I'm so sorry.”

Zia stepped closer, knelt down to his height. She held onto his shoulder, and he accepted the embrace she was offering. 

“I'm...so sorry this had to happen.”, she continued. “I can't judge you or your customs, and I'm sorry it seemed that way. Please, find it in your heart to forgive us.”

He held on tight, burying his face in her shoulder.

“I just...I just want everything to be fine!”, he sobbed. “I'm hurting, I lost my friend, and I don't understand why you're thinking all these things of us!!”

Tao glared at Esteban, who didn't know why that could be called for. 

“...it would be hard to explain.”, Zia simply said. “Perhaps...if we knew in advance what was going to happen, we would have not come. And we could have avoided any scene.”

Karsha sniffled, looking at her. He looked truly hurt, and that vision tore at Esteban's heart. Once again, he tried to put himself in his shoes, to understand what it would be like if he'd just lost one of his closest friends and some foreigner were to insult him and claim he'd done a horrible thing. It helped with some perspective, sure...but still, he couldn't condone eating the dead! That was just too far for him!! Just because that was the way for some people didn't mean he had to accept it unconditionally!

“I just wonder...why?”, Tao asked calmly. “Out of all the ways to, um...honor your dead, why would you eat them? Why not bury them?”

“We'd run out of room pretty quickly.”

Karsha wiped his tears away, or at least tried to.

“I guess that it's just ingrained so hard into us, how we have to survive. Food is very hard to come by. Hunting can be dangerous. When half of the population dies, and the other half is starving...it's just natural.”

Zia sat down next to him, and Tao eventually followed. Esteban hesitated, but did not want to cause any more trouble, so he did so as well. 

“I don't see what's wrong with it. If my body can help someone survive a bit more after I die, why would I not want to? I mean...I won't need it anymore.”

“But that's quite an extremity...if you devour each other so freely when hunger strikes, that would destroy you!”

“We'd never kill each other! Never! Any living life, any helping hand will always be more valuable than whatever meat we have on our bones. A person's body may feed us for a day, but their work and their help would have brought food for many more years. _That_ is our...our taboo.”

“But isn't that twisted? Those are your loved ones, and you reduce them to...to food. That's horrible.”

“It doesn't have to be.”

Karsha then fetched something from his belt. It looked like a miniature crossbow, or some kind of spring-loaded pistol. It was painted and carved like an art piece, but the white organic material it was made of left no doubt as to its nature.

“My sheropeka was a gift from my mother. She gave it to me when I became of age. She carved it from the bones of her sister, who loved me dearly. And I loved her, too.”

His finger slowly followed one of the carved spirals. 

“She had very good eyes. So good that she's now Chalum La'nadrarina. Whenever I hunt, her eyes guide me where mine can't see. That's why I never miss my target. It's like...she's still here with me, you know?”

It was grim. It was horribly grim. But the way Karsha spoke of it, holding his bone tool like one would hold a portrait of their relative, almost felt...wholesome. 

“I get the idea, but...that's just too strange.”, Tao piped in. “You're playing with the bodies of people, making their bones into items?”

“I don't see what's so bad about it. I mean...I'd love for my children to so something great of me when I die. I want to help them even in death. You can make so many great things with bones!”

“And...everyone thinks like you?”

“You'd be surprised as to how many things you've touched here were made from someone's sibling or parent.”

Zia curled her hands away, disgusted by the thought. Karsha simply sighed.

“I guess I can see what irks you...it's not very clean. Some people don't want to become tools when they die, and we respect that. But when you've got nothing on hand to build a city where everyone can live comfortably...you've still got yourself, you know?”

There was still a lot of unease going around. Neither anger nor sadness had fully dissipated, and that was maybe what prompted Karsha to change subjects.

“...what do _you_ do with your dead ones, anyway? You've judged us a lot, so now it's my turn.”

“Um...well, we bury them, most of the time.”

“Bury them? In the ground?”

“In graves. And then we...we mourn, we honor them. We...”

Zia stopped mid-sentence, her words trailing off. It dawned on them that the three of them had already lost someone, and that even though they've never really talked about it, they could knew what the others felt in this instant. Each of them remembered a different grave, in a different country, each holding a father figure that had watched over them for years of their lives. And it hurt to talk about.

Esteban remembered Father Rodriguez. He's been a good man, caring and devoted, even though he now belonged to a life so old and distant he could barely even remember his face. It'd never occur to him to eat his heart for strength, carve his bones into tools or make pouches out of his skin; the very idea repulsed him to the highest point. It felt criminal to even think about it. 

“And...what becomes of them?”, Karsha asked.

“...nothing. We leave them here, at peace. That's all.”

It was obvious the topic was very painful, and opened up some old wounds. Karsha felt like he wanted to say something, and Esteban expected him to say horrible truths that'd come back at him for what himself said before; but nothing such happened. Instead, he just sat pensively, thinking about it. 

“...it must be nice.”, he eventually said. “You've got so much room that you give it to people who don't need it.”

“It's not that.”, Tao sighed. “It's so that we have a place to go when we want to remember them. They've been through a lot in life...they deserve to rest in peace.”

The concept was hard to convey, it seemed. But Karsha said nothing, just thinking it over.

They had different ways to grieve. But deep down, the grief was the exact same. 

“Do you...”, Esteban hesitated. “Do you... _want_ to be eaten, when you die?”

“Of course. I'm young and strong. If I can help someone's sickness, I will.”

“And...what about your soul? If you don't have a body anymore, what becomes of it?”

Karsha blinked at him. But then, he simply smiled.

“My soul will return to my mother. Like everyone else.”

“To...Selaka?”

“No.”

And he held out a hand. Esteban hesitated, not feeling this at all, but something in Karsha's sad smile felt genuine enough. Slowly, he held that hand, and that warmth came back to him again. The warmth they shared, the same sunlight in their blood.

“My _mother_. Everyone's mother. Even if we are so far in the Abyss that she can't reach us, our souls will always find their way back to her.”

For an instant, just an instant, Esteban knew what he meant. He knew who was that watchful mother, so estranged and yet so present, the one that had helped them since the start and would keep helping them, even in the afterlife. The mother that was his own as well, for he too was a child of Atlantis. A child of the Sun.

But that only lasted a moment, after which his confusion came back. Karsha withdrew his hand, and simply smiled. 

“I'm not afraid to die.”, he said. “Because I know I'll be alright. We all have to conquer our fear of death, so we can move on.”

It was getting late, and they've barely noticed the salt fires have been dimming. Slowly, Karsha stood back up. 

“I believe we all need some cheering up. How about you come with me, and we get something all of us can eat? It wouldn't be fair to let you starve.”

Pichu happily reacted to the promise of food, lightening the mood. The children stood in turn, still a little hesitant and down, but at least there was no harm done. No lasting harm.

“...I'm sorry I called you sadistic.”, Esteban said out of the blue. “I...I've lost people I cared about, too. I would never think of doing such...such things to them.”

“Well...I can get that it's upsetting you. I'm sorry that it happened.”

“It's not your fault.”, Zia said. “You couldn't have known.”

“But I could have told you about it.”

“You couldn't have known. It's not very fair for you that you need to justify yourself all the time.”

“Yeah. You...you have your culture, and your own reasons for doing things. We don't have a place to judge you.”

“And yet you do.”

“And yet we do...”

Esteban sighed. Karsha gently touched to his shoulder, in that warm manner as usual. 

“You don't need to put on a happy face if it truly upsets you.”, he said. “I can tell this is very important to you and your people.”

He glanced away for a moment.

“I just...I just don't want this to keep happening. Maybe we're just too different...and you're like me, so what about all the people out on the shalaya that are not like us? Perhaps it's good that we stay here in the Abyss, away from other humans.”

“What? No, don't say that! You know it's not true!”

“But it is. And it's maybe the best choice. We've long renounced on getting back to the surface, anyway.”

His hand slowly let go. 

“But the surface is your home. I feel that if you stay away from it for too long, you'll end up missing it. Perhaps...it's best you shorten your stay in Nemishta.”

It felt like a stone suddenly dropped in his chest.

“...he's right.”, Zia said. “We still have an objective to complete. It hurts to say, but we can't stay here forever.”

“Well...I know that, but...”

But what? What was it that felt so wrong in all of this?

“You don't have to decide right now.”, Karsha said. “You know you're welcome to stay as long as you want. We'll always accept you...even if the opposite may not be true.”

The stone sank even harder down. 

“But let's not bother ourselves with that! That can wait. Come, you must be all starved. We've got bread, and shells, and maybe even bone soup! Don't worry, it's desha bones, I swear it's not people. Once again, it's not something we do each day without a care in the world.”

“I believe you, don't worry.”

They followed, for they had nowhere else to go. But still, even with all the good will in the world, something just didn't sit right with all of this.

He didn't want to stay, nor did he feel like leaving. He didn't even know what he wanted anymore; only that, in the moment, he felt incredibly tired.


	8. These Loving, Tender Sea Monsters

“...can we talk for a moment?”

Esteban raised his head from the Kalium's inner workings, glancing in the direction of Zia's voice.

“What is it?”

“I'm just coming to check in on you. You'd let me, right?”

Esteban just shrugged, putting down his tool.

“I guess.” 

He closed the orichalcum panel, keeping the wires and nodes out of sight. The pesky light on the dashboard had turned off at last, which meant the problem was repaired; he could afford to take a break. 

“Is it nighttime already?”, he asked, stifling a yawn.

“Everyone has fallen asleep hours ago. We're way into the night.”

“Wow...this late, huh. I wouldn't have known.”

Zia sat on one of the side benches, just watching him put the tools away, back in their cache under the pilot seat. He had the stumbling motions of someone who should have gone to bed a long time ago, yet stubbornly fought the need to rest, to the point where Zia was only more concerned. 

“Guess I shouldn't stay away from sunlight for that long, heh. Luckily, the problem's solved now, we can leave. Batteries are running, we can go anywhere.”

“That's good to know. But as much as I get the idea...are you sure it's a good one?”

“Of course! We've got a quest to carry on with, don't we? Can't spend eternity in the Abyss.”

He sat down in his seat, contemplating the towers of Nemishta in front of them.

“I miss the Condor. Can't wait to see her again, and resume the journey. Can you believe we're almost done with it? It'll seem so strange.”

“...”

“If we leave now, we'd reach the coast by dawn. Just in time for sunrise.”

Zia sat up, looking at him with even more concern.

“Why are you in such a hurry to leave?”

“A hurry? I'm not in a hurry. I just want to get this over with, so we can finally have some peace of mind.”

“That's exactly what a hurry is.”

Esteban sighed, frowning a bit.

“Well...yeah, maybe I'm in a bit of a hurry. And what about it? Don't you want to move to the next step already? We can't let Ambrosius thwart our plans once more!”

“We can't. But until we address the issue, we won't be ready to leave either.”

“What issue? What, do you think there's something wrong with me?”

“I never said it was about you. But now, you just admitted it.”

“...”

Zia patted the seat next to her, calmly. Esteban mulled it over, not knowing how to react, until he just accepted his fate and went to sit with her. 

He's never had this. Time. Time to sit down, to relax, to think and plan their next move. They were always needed somewhere, or needed something, or had some great evil chasing after them and some great pursuit to chase after. And it was hectic, it was horrible, and it was so much pressure to put on their young and naive shoulders. It felt as if he's never known any rest for years now: a friendly town might get attacked by soldiers, a peaceful night be interrupted by screams, an ally be put in danger because of them. They were runaways, fugitives, vagabonds and so much more, bound to walk the Earth without knowing any respite. 

So to be stuck here, in this bubble away from everything… In this place were people were kind and friendly, and no danger get to them from the outside world...it was jarring. He wasn't used to it at all. And he didn't know how to react.

Zia didn't need his words to understand it. They've been through this together. She knew perfectly well how he felt, for she was the same. Yet still, she tried to keep a smile on her face, to carry on and not let her worry show. For someone had to do it, to lead their group forward and not lose hope. 

“I wonder what Mendoza would have thought of this place.”, she said after a moment. “Divers aren't so different from sailors.”

“He's always been more of a surface guy...”, Esteban shrugged.

“Pedro would have filled his pockets with pearls and opals. The crafters would have been so pleased to give him, I bet!”

“And he'd be repulsed that all gemstones here smell like dried seaweed.”

“And then Sancho would have been completely enamored with the food. All this fish reminds me of Japan.”

“Too bad they don't have rice.”

 _But they have bones. They have blood, they have flesh. They have their loved ones._ Esteban shivered that thought away, hoping Zia wouldn't notice.

“I miss them.”, she said. “I hope they're alright...”

“Of course they are. They're bound to be alright. They're competent, and...and they...they know what they're doing.”

His fists clenched nervously. Zia noticed it, and put a gentle hand on his shoulder to soothe him.

“You have a right to be angry, you know. He did leave us out of nowhere.”

“I'm not angry. I just...”

It was hard to speak. But a voice in his head told him that if he didn't voice out his thoughts, no one would be able to know what he was thinking.

“I just...wish I hadn't said all those mean things to him. And now he's gone, and I couldn't take it all back.”

“I'm sure he knew you didn't mean it. Anyone would have been angry, in your place. It's not the first time he's faced your wrath, anyway.”

It wasn't.

“I still feel like a jerk.”

“Well, he doesn't have a clean record either. There were better ways to break it to us than to leave like that.”

“I'm sure Laguerra put that idea into his head. She'd do it.”

“Or perhaps she simply had a good reason, and Mendoza was fully on board. We don't even know the full story.”

“He _abandoned_ us, what story do you need?!”

He came off a little angrier than he'd have accepted, but his emotions were like that. They burst out of his voice without he could control them. 

“And now...now we're on our own. We're lost in the middle of all of this, and we have to keep going. We can't afford to waste time on stories.”

_Time always catches up to you. And when it does, it devours you whole, devours you down to the last bone._

“You know I can't let you do that.”

“Well, sorry, but I'll keep going anyway. Someone has to.”

“You think I don't know that? Don't change the subject.”

“I'm not changing anything.”

He stood up, deciding he was done, but Zia caught up to him and held his arm back.

“We're not going _anywhere_ until I'm sure you can handle it.”, she said on a stern tone. “There's something eating at you and we need to address it.”

_Eating at me. Eating me away, devouring me, devouring my whole body..._

“There isn't.”, he lied through his teeth, shuddering another thought away. 

“...Esteban, you're hurting.”

“I'm not! Why would I be hurting?”

_It hurts to die. Had I drowned, I'd be suffering. And they'd have disposed of me too, wouldn't they?_

“I'm not hurting. I can't be hurt. That's insensitive of me, isn't it? I can't be hurt.”

“...please, look at me.”

“I'm fine! I'm perfectly fine. I'll handle it. It's all good, I swear.”

_I'm fine. I'm healthy. A healthy, young body like mine is bound to be worth something. They're just eager to tear me to pieces and share me amongst them, aren't they?_

“You're shuddering. There is something wrong.”

“There isn't.”

“Is this about Mendoza? Is that what's been keeping you awake?”

“It's not! It's nothing! I'm fine, I...I'm fine, I'm alive, and everything is alright...”

_They shared his carcass like he was wild game. They ate his flesh until their mouths dribbled with blood. Would they do that to me? Would they do that to children?!_

“I'm...I'm fine, I'm perfectly fine...”, he hiccuped, his throat giving way to a muffled sob.

It was becoming hard to speak, hard to stand up. He dropped to the ground, huddling himself as he shuddered those impure thoughts away, as he tried to forget the horrors he's seen and that wouldn't leave his mind. He tried to forget that it was _someone, it was someone they've known and loved and they still did this to him, like he was a wild animal… They have no respect for their own people, they use them and make away with them and deny them their final rest..._ He recalled the laid-out dishes of meat by the fire, every part of that poor man put on display like an exotic buffet, everyone helping themselves to a piece of his arms, his chest, his organs without a second thought or a care in the world. He thought about how he was willing to take part, before he realized, how he's almost touched that forbidden meat, how he's almost _eaten_ it… 

All of a sudden, he broke from Zia's tentative embrace, and rushed out of the Kalium, fumbling with the ladder and the hatch door. He needed fresh air, right now, and his stumbling feet couldn't carry fast enough. Just thinking about it made him want to vomit, and he took big deep breaths to try and ease that feeling. Yet it kept coming back, haunting his mind and his gut, his mouth watering with the premises of even further disgust. He leaned over the vehicle's side, breathing slowly, and luckily managed to keep it down to a dry-heave. 

Watching him, Zia could obviously tell it wasn't about Mendoza's actions anymore. Whatever was putting Esteban in such a state had to be powerful, and there was no need to have mind-reading powers to take a guess as to what it was. She got out of the tank, and sat next to him on the metal husk as he slowly recovered; yet it was obvious in his expression that it'd be but a matter of time until it started again. 

“...I know what you'll say.”, he spoke after a moment. “It's not my place to judge, I shouldn't be insensitive...”

He gulped with difficulty.

“But still, that doesn't mean I'm suddenly all fine with it!”

“Of course not. I'm not fine with it either.”

She gently pat his back. 

“It's another culture. That's all. We can't allow ourselves to voice our judgments.”

“Even if it's wrong? Or depraved? They're committing heinous crimes, and we're just supposed to let them?”

“I suppose that's bound to happen… They've been cut off from the world for thousands of years. Whatever everyone else thinks has long been forgotten.”

“That shouldn't have happened. That shouldn't be happening at all!”

“I know. But we can't do anything about it.”

Esteban clenched his fists, his breath fuming. The air was sparking with this angry warmth, one she's never known him to create before. It felt as if something was about to spontaneously burst into flames, just by his emotions alone.

“It shouldn't be this way.”, he continued. “No one...no one should have to do this.”

“It's become normal to them. They wouldn't understand.”

“That's the point!”

He turned to her.

“It's become _normal_! What kind of a world is it, for such...such _acts_ to be normal!? Is that how low they've stooped? Is that how much their society has collapsed??”

“It's a dreadful world. One where survival primes over everything.”

“It shouldn't have been.”

Zia frowned.

“Are you saying the Abyss is a mistake? That these people are living wrongly?”

“I...I'm not saying that. I mean to say that...they shouldn't have to, you know? They shouldn't have gotten stuck down there. Down where no light or life exists.”

He looked up. Through the gilded dome protecting the city, they could see the silhouettes of fish swimming slowly, enjoying the warmth of the barrier. 

“They're left with no choice but to devour each other for survival. What other atrocities are they committing, just because they have no choice? This world shouldn't have existed. These people shouldn't need to do such things to live happily.”

“I'm...not sure this is the point, Esteban. Would you rather they'd have all died in the Great Cataclysm?”

“The Great Cataclysm should never have happened. It was all a big mistake.”

Zia sighed.

“I see where you're coming from, but...that's still harsh of you to say. It's not our place to judge.”

“So we're just supposed to accept it? What if they have even creepier rituals, like...like killing babies to keep the solar stone running? Am I supposed to accept it, just because it's their culture?”

“You're not making any sense! They would never do that!”

“But what if they do? They've already accepted _eating dead people_!”

Zia sighed in frustration.

“Look, I know you're upset.”, she said, trying to stay calm. “But-”

“But what? Are you agreeing with them? Would you have eaten human flesh with them?”

“Of course not! But you're seeing things in black and white, from your perspective alone!”

“What perspective is there? They're _cannibals!_ In what world is that acceptable?!”

“They have their reasons. They're not the only people on Earth to be cannibals, you know. Why do you think there's a word for it?”

“I'd have expected that of savages, but not of Atlanteans!!”

That's when Zia shot him a glare so dark and furious, that it froze him on the spot like the eyes of a coquatrice. Just by the tremor of the seafloor that chased the fish away and made the Kalium shudder, he knew he should have kept his mouth shut.

“Don't. Ever. Use that word again!”, she hissed. “I will _not_ let you call anyone savages, do you hear me!?”

She was so frightening, as if a fearsome clawed beast had spawned right where she used to be a second ago. Esteban had no choice but to stay silent and nod in fear, for his body refused to move in any other way. Seeing his obedience, the beast retreated after a moment, and Esteban's heart started returning to a normal rate.

“They might be Atlanteans, but they've changed a lot.”, she said. “Things are not the same as they used to be. I can't say I understand why they're like this, or why they do the things they do, but that's the point. I'm not a part of their people, and watching them from the outside will not suffice to assess their character.”

Esteban didn't say anything, feeling quite ashamed of himself. But that revulsion was still too real, and even shame couldn't triumph of it.

“They're lovely people, with kind and open hearts. They'd never hurt anyone. What they're doing is...uncanny, obviously, but that's their way to show respect to their lost ones. It has implications we can't even begin to comprehend.”

She sighed, turning her eyes away for a moment.

“I know what you feel. I just...I just don't want you to judge people like that. Being called a savage is never a pleasant experience.”

Of course she'd understand. She's spent her childhood far away from her home, being an exotic and foreign doll in a court of people that couldn't care less about her culture. What seemed normal to her would very likely have been judged severely, and he felt awful just thinking about it.

“I know.”, he said quietly. “I know all of that. And...perhaps if I had more time, I could understand more about their rituals.”

He looked at his feet.

“But we don't have time. And their rituals...disgust me. I'm not sure I can look any of them in the eyes, now that I know what they're doing with their dead.”

He tried to not think about it, not think about the bloody meat on display, to think of something that wouldn't make him want to puke.

“That's why...I think it's best we leave. I don't want to judge them, I really don't! But I can't help it. It's just...disgusting.”

“So that's why you're in such a hurry.”

He nodded. He feared she wouldn't get it, and still be angry at him; but all she did was sigh in resignation.

“I can't say I don't agree with you. But then, the least you can do is offer an explanation. Tell them goodbye. I don't doubt they'll miss us, you know.”

“I know.”

His gaze got lost to the city ahead of them. The towers of clay and stone, the salt fires shedding their amber light, the shadows of fish looming over their world.

“I wish we could do something for them. They say they're happy, but they obviously struggle to survive. If they had access to more food, then perhaps...”

“We can't do anything. Even with the science of Mu at our side, I doubt we can raise Nemishta out of the Abyss.”

“We could try?”

“Esteban, be reasonable. You heard them very well: they don't want to return to the surface. This lifestyle may be hard, but it's the only one they know. It wouldn't be fair to force them into another one, just because we feel it's 'easier'.”

“...I must be speaking like a conquistador. Claiming I know better than people about how they must live. I feel like an idiot, right now...”

“I suppose I can't blame you. You're Spanish, after all.”

He wasn't even sure if he was supposed to correct her or not. What even was he? All those years on the road have clearly warped his perception of his own nationality. So he just shrugged, deciding to go along with whatever others would say he was. It was easier.

Karsha had already lost people he loved, and eaten their flesh. His teeth and his mouth have been stained with their blood. And just a few days ago, that same mouth had touched to Esteban's. Did this mean he was complicit in their necrophagic acts? Did this mean he was doomed to suffer in eternity, when all was said and done? 

...no. He didn't feel like it'd happen. Karsha had saved him out of compassion, not out of malice. Esteban wasn't even sure he'd know what malice meant. That's how innocent they were. If Esteban had the power to choose the Abyssals' fate, he knew that their good deeds would heavily outweigh their more questionable actions. 

That still didn't ease his disgust. It simply made it irrational, if anything. Yet it was all too real, still nagging at him. 

“...I'll say goodbye.”, he said after a time. “But I don't think I'd be willing to stay for much longer. It's just...it's best if we get back on the road soon.”

“I know.”

Her hand pat his back, gently caressing his shoulders. 

“But first, you have to make peace with yourself.”

“What does that mean?”

“You'll know it soon enough.”

He just shrugged, not feeling like deciphering cryptic meanings. She sat up, and slowly made her way down the Kalium's side.

“Let's get some sleep. You'll need it.”

“I'm coming. Just...give me a minute.”

She was dubious, but decided to trust him, and returned back to Selaka's house. Esteban just sat there, silently, watching the fish in the ocean in lieu of stars in the night sky.

Some things would never be easy at all, it seemed.


	9. Light Shines Brightest in the Dark

“Leave? Why would you want to leave now?”

“Better now than never. We've still got a lot to do, I'll have you know!”

“Well, what's the hurry? Nothing's pressing.”

Esteban simply fumed, watching the sheer complacency with which Tao returned to sketching the strange animals in front of him.

“I thought you'd be happy here.”, he commented. “With Atlanteans like you.”

“And I thought you of all people would want to get out of here. You're in enemy territory, don't you know that?”

Tao just scoffed.

“I thought we were past that? You kept bothering me with how that whole war business was pointless, and now that we're applying this principle, you would like me to leave? Make up your mind, sunny.”

“My mind is already made up.”

“Is it, now?”

The squid slithered out of the water, to come lay on a rock and explore the moist surroundings of the pond. Tao seized the opportunity to get a better look at it, trying to sketch as much of it as possible before it disappeared again.

“Besides, this is a pretty fascinating place. Those creatures are all so different from what I've seen! There's species here that exist nowhere else in the world, I've got to record as much of it as I can!”

“You'd find that in any other isolated place. You said it yourself, the Abyss may not be the only one of its kind!”

“Every Abyss would still be different. Now be quiet, will you? I'm trying to draw, here.”

“I'm quiet! I'm very quiet, don't you see it?!”

But his voice scared the little squid, who darted back into the water before Tao could catch it. The latter turned to Esteban with an angry glare, shutting his book.

“Alright, what's your problem!?”, he huffed. “Won't you let me enjoy some respite?”

“You won't get any respite when they _devour you!_ We have to get out of here!”

“This again? Know what, I won't even dignify you with an answer.”

“Rrrk, dignify!”

“Have you gone blind? Do you not see what place we've stumbled upon?!”

“I see it very well. We've found the last bastion of Atlantean society, and you're desperately trying to leave out of superstitious fear. You're not subtle, you know?”

He bonked Esteban on the head with his pencil. 

“Ow!”

“Take it easy, pal. You're not in danger. It won't kill you to wait a little more.”

“What if it does? I've already almost died!”

“Then don't go out swimming, what did you expect?! Seriously, you're making so much noise about nothing.”

“It's not 'nothing', Tao! It's serious!”

Were they looking at him? There were people around, and they were obviously looking at their heated discussion. Their eyes were on him, preying eyes ready to judge him and decide of his fate. But he wouldn't let that happen! Never!

“These people are _monsters_.”, he said in a lower tone. “They're nothing like Atlanteans.”

“What would _you_ know, Spanish boy? Have you been around in ancient Atlantis?”

“I don't need that to know that no one should be as they are! This whole place is a mistake, and we should leave it buried in the ocean! It's for the best.”

Tao frowned at him, his annoyance tainted with something more concerned. 

“If I didn't know you any better, I'd be willing to bet you've got some self-esteem issues going on.”

“What makes you say that, now?”

“You don't want to be compared to them. But you know it can't be helped, don't you?”

Esteban's anger flared up, in more little wisps of heat sparking in the air. 

“Don't you _dare_ compare me to them! I'm...I'm not like them!!”

“But you are. You admitted it yourself.”

“I was wrong, alright? I thought I've found my peers, but...but it's nothing like that. My peers would never...”

He couldn't finish that sentence. He didn't even know how to. It was all too complicated! How could he ever grasp the complex spectrum of emotions he was feeling right now?!

“Come on, say it.”, Tao sighed. “What is it that tipped you over the edge? The promiscuity? The constant smell of seaweed? The consumption of human flesh?”

“How can you be so casual about all of this?!”

Tao shrugged.

“What? We've seen weirder, all around the world. You know that as much as I do.”

“But this time, it's different! It's...it's–!”

His fists clenched, and the temperature rose around him. And it landed in his head in the form of a sudden, sharp headache, that made him rub his forehead with pain.

“It's different.”, he said, more quietly. “You keep comparing me to them, but I'm not like that. I'd never be!”

“And? No one says you have to! So what's your problem?”

“The problem is…! It's...ugh.”

He had trouble standing up. He looked around, and managed to stumble to a stone bench nearby, where he let himself slump down. His head really hurt, and it felt very hot in here. It felt suffocating. As if the entirety of Nemishta's bubble was closing in on him, leaving nothing between him and the ocean that wanted to swallow him whole. His vision felt dark, and he breathed in slowly to ease that feeling.

Tao knelt by him, gently patting his back. Pichu landed on his shoulder, attempting to soothe him, and several Abyssals looked by in concern. Some stepped closer, worried that something was happening, but right now Esteban simply wished they'd all go away.

“I'm...fine.”, he managed, once his sight recovered. “It's just a headache. I'm fine.”

“Are you sure?”, someone asked. “We should take you to the healers. It could be dangerous.”

“I'm fine, I...I just had a moment. I'll be good.”

But there was no helping it. He felt himself be lifted up, and carried by a strong pair of arms. And he started to worry for a second, heart racing as to what would happen, but Tao stayed near and didn't look like he shared his fear. Luckily, it was but a short walk away from the healers' house, so he wouldn't need to be carried for too long. It felt humiliating, to be honest, and he tried to hide his face away to not be recognized; consider that a failure, since everyone knew who he was anyway.

“Esteban!”, Zia's voice then sounded out. “What happened?”

“He got angry and steamed himself out.”, Tao answered. “Nothing unusual.”

“I'm fine. I told you I'm fine!”

With some help, he was laid down on a fluffy fur bed, but sat up immediately.

“I don't need help! I'll be good.”

“It could be dangerous.”, Zia simply said, sharing the group's general consensus. 

She took his hand, and immediately dropped it.

“You're burning!”, she gasped. “See, there's definitely something wrong!”

“There's always something wrong. I'm always in the wrong. Why would today be any different?”

Zia glanced at Tao, who simply shrugged. 

“He's got one of these moods. You know the deal.”

Esteban would have been ready to strangle him, if not for the fact one of the healers had arrived and he had to stay put. Luckily, it was a short examination, and the healer was a smiling young person who behaved very delicately with him. There was also a rather strong scent of vinegar floating around, and if it did irritate him at first, that eased away after a time and took his mind off the constant ocean smell. 

Hm. If he didn't know better, that weird candle over there could have looked like a raw piece of driftwood.

The healer let him be after a time of examining him, and Esteban just fell back on the fur bed. His anger had calmed somewhat, and now he just wanted to get out of here. Zia sat next to him, messing with his hair, and he looked at her with tired eyes.

“Don't say anything.”, he said.

“I won't. It's not like me to say anything.”

“But not like me.”, Tao added, leaning against the wall. “You've got some explaining to do, young man.”

Esteban just sighed, turning his eyes away. Did he really have to? He just wanted to sleep, for now. Sleep and never wake up, or somehow be brought back to the surface without he'd even worry about it. Either of these options sounded fine at the moment.

The healer then returned, this time accompanied. It was a young child, that he'd pin at around eight or nine. They both sat next to Esteban, and the healer then started handspeaking slowly. The little one watched their parent, and then translated out loud.

“You have too much sun in you, and it wants to come out.”

Esteban blinked, sitting up. 

“...too much sun?”

“So...so you must come help with the salts. Or go to the baths and clean yourself.”

“That doesn't sound right. It was just a headache...are you sure you got that right?”

“I can confirm.”, Zia spoke. “I've seen it happen...it's a real medical issue.”

He doubted it. But he wasn't a medical professional, so he just let it be. He nodded, quietly accepting his fate, and relieved that they weren't going to kill him and eat him. It was stupid, he knew it! And yet, he was worried it'd happen anyway. 

“What's the...salts?”, he asked Zia.

“I'm not sure how it works, but you just...dip your hands in saltwater and let your inner sun out. And it forms those very pretty salt crystals.”

“I can't do that. There's no sun here!”

“But there's the solar stone.”, Tao piped in. “It's obviously a substitute for sunlight. And they're all benefiting from it, so why not you?”

“Because I'm _not_ one of them.”

The healer blinked slowly, and then signed again.

“You're one of us.”, the child translated. “You're like us. And...and the sunheart likes you.”

“That makes sense.”, Zia commented. “You may not be from the Abyss, but you're Atlantean. Your power is of the same nature as theirs. And your body's reacting to the solar stone.”

He didn't say anything, just staring at his feet. He didn't have any powers. It was stupid, only a superstition, only...only something real, that had saved their lives more than once, and that had an explanation, a story, a name. A gift all of the Abyss had mastered, and that he had too; so who's to say it wasn't something all of Atlantis had? He's never thought about it, because he didn't want to. It was something he could do, and that was about all of it.

This did make some sense, too. He's never had similar headaches before he came to the Abyss. It felt as if any time he'd get angry, the air would get warmer and sparky; he recalled how Karsha had accidentally shone him, during a similar burst of anger. Zia could do that, too: the earth would tremble and react to her emotions, sometimes very violently. People could just, do that. And he wasn't sure he'd ever get used to it, but it was real. 

“...whatever.”, he conceded. “But then, we're leaving.”

“We're not leaving _right now._ ”, Zia cut him. “Not without saying goodbye. Whether you like it or not, you're one of the first outsiders these people have seen in ages, and you'll deal with it.”

He sighed.

“But then we leave and resume our mission.”

“That will wait a couple more days.”

“Whatever. At this point, it's...whatever.”

He just felt bitter. He laid on the fur bed, turned his back to them all and closed his eyes, trying to get the best out of that instant of respite. The scent of vinegar was making him feel weird, and awfully tired.

“...Zia, can I get a word with you?”, Tao said. “Let's leave him to sleep.”

Zia looked at Esteban, but followed outside after a moment. Esteban just sighed, ignoring whatever he was feeling. At least, until a tiny hand put a wet cloth to his burning forehead.

“It's fine, friend.”, the small child said. “You'll get better! I will heal you good.”

And he then received very hesitant care from a baby healer, under their parent's guidance. It was a bit endearing, all things considered, so he allowed himself to smile.

“Well, thanks. I feel better already.”

“That's cause it works!”

Heh. At least the young ones were quite endearing, untouched yet by the horrors of the Abyss. It helped ease him a bit, and cool down a little. 

But still, he couldn't take his thoughts off what he's seen, and what he wanted so desperately to flee from.

~~~~~ 

The water was a little fresh, but it was already troves better than the cold ocean all around. He let himself sink in chest deep, enjoying the light prickle on his skin and slivers of warmth caressing his body. It settled in after a moment, and he simply sat back, allowing himself to appreciate it. 

There were other people here too, but it was all fine. Everyone was in some manner of undergarments, and the general mood was relaxed and tranquil. The warm springs were a place to meet up, chill and benefit from the healthy properties of a saltwater bath, without the risk of drowning. Even toddlers could enjoy it, and learn to swim in a safe environment. Perhaps this was what Esteban needed the most for now: safety and quietude. 

Leaning back against the soft rocks, he looked up at the ocean, letting water rise to his shoulders. How deep exactly were they? Was it truly impossible to get back to the surface, even with diving equipment? How long could it take a trained human to swim such a distance, knowing they'd be carried up by buoyancy over light saltwater? He wasn't going to doubt it was a hard and strenuous journey, nor deny that many had tried and lost their lives in the attempt. But surely, it couldn't be so hard either, could it? Maybe because he's made it down from the surface to the Abyss, in the warm and dry waterproof confines of the Kalium, he wasn't seeing it in the same manner. Still, it thoroughly puzzled him that people had decided to resign and stay here, rather than try to fight fate. Was this the way of ancient Atlantis?

Come to think of it, he didn't know that much about them. All he knew of Atlantis came from his father, who only knew the groundworks of their mythology and culture. He's told him about the guardian star, about the divine mother of Atlantis, about the sunkissed eyes of their people that still existed after all this time. But that was about it: unlike Tao, Esteban couldn't cite any historical figures, any great feats, and celebrations or rituals, not even words in their language. Everything he knew was superficial, for that was all that remained.

And now, he was here. In what remained of Atlantis, preserved under the ocean like a pearl in its shell. Surrounded with people that spoke its language, upheld its traditions, knew its tales and stories by heart. He should have been overjoyed, ready to learn all about it, but...it just wasn't what he'd have expected. And perhaps everyone sensed his disappointment, too.

He wondered what his father would have thought about the Abyss. Athanaos was much more curious than he was, and would have lost no time getting acquainted with the city of Nemishta. He'd have quickly bonded with these dolphin-people, gotten to know them, learned handspeak in a matter of days. He'd have felt at home, regardless of everything that made him different from them. He just was that great of a man, able to bond with people of any culture or country. Hasn't he spent his youth on the road, trailing through all sorts of lands like a nomad, making more friends than any man reasonably needed, learning languages left and right and experiencing all sorts of things? He's told Esteban of his many adventures, including how he had met Ambrosius and Doctor Laguerra in Europe, how he had trekked across China to follow a mysterious trail to the Cities of Gold, and how he had shipwrecked in America and met the woman that would eventually become his beloved wife and mother of his child. It seemed that no matter what happened to him, he'd find a way to make it a positive outcome. 

Was that the way to peace and tolerance? To always look on the bright side, to find common ground with everyone? Maybe there just was no other way. Maybe travels and encounters have made Athanaos such. Oh, how often must he have left his comfort zone! Esteban dreaded to picture it.

Although...it's _because_ his father had left his comfort zone so much that Esteban would eventually have been born. Journeys and encounters were beautiful things, and they could only bring all sorts of twists to one's life. Maybe that's what happened with the Abyss: it was but a new journey. A quest for survival, for happiness, in a place where it wouldn't have been possible. 

He looked around at the people in the springs, chatting and playing happily. There was a young man next to him, holding onto a baby barely of crawling age. Very carefully, he was helping it into the water, letting it get acquainted with the wet feeling. It was a distasteful experience, and the baby started crying, but its father held on reassuringly, letting it happen. And after a few minutes, the warmth of the water settled in, and the child seemed to have accepted it. It made a few swimmy motions with its arms, making its father chuckle, and Esteban couldn't hold a smile either. Sure...learning was hard, and new situations were stressful, but everyone had to do it at some point. He's done it too, several times in his life, and he knew it's been for the best.

They weren't so different, after all. Athanaos would have fit right in, and Esteban knew he had some of that in himself. If he were to stay here, it wouldn't be so bad, maybe: wet and cold at first, but as long as familiar hands were there to hold him and reassure him, he could get used to it. He knew he wasn't going to stay here, anyway, but the thought had struck him and he decided to entertain it a little. 

_May his heart bring you the strength to carry on in life._

Distasteful memories came back to mind, and his smile dropped. No matter how he tried, he couldn't erase them from his thoughts. Scomber's pregnant wife, holding her husband's heart in her hands, with the barely-hidden intention to eat it...it almost made him gag. But he recalled how sad she had looked, clutching that red piece of flesh against her own chest, as if she didn't want to do this. 

_You think it's easy for me to eat the flesh of someone I held dear?!_

Obviously not. Losing someone was never easy. What puzzled him was why, _why_ they felt the need to do this. Why would a burial not work the same, if not better? He just couldn't find a reason why, and it felt horrifying. Though...if the Abyss had been standing there for thousands of years, it's true that they'd eventually run out of burial space. What a cruel world they lived in, where they had to resort to such travesties…

A child's laugh came to his ears, and he turned a bit to find the father now playing with his baby, tickling it and making funny noises. The silliness of the situation clashed with Esteban's grim thoughts, so much that it almost felt uncanny. But the baby's giggles eventually triumphed, making him smile again in endearment. Life must go on, no matter what happens. People grieved however they could, but they still smiled, laughed, played with their children and protected them as they grew up. There were some things that could never change, no matter where in the world they were, for such was human nature. 

They ate their dead, sure. But...that didn't make them bad people. That didn't make them monsters. And saying they should never have existed was very misguided.

Esteban stepped out of the warm springs, feeling he's steeped long enough. The warm air all around quickly dried him up, and he put his shirt back on. He wasn't sure he felt any better than before, but at least his head didn't hurt now, and his thoughts were a little clearer. He looked around, unsure as to what to do now, but a corner of his mind kept nagging him to act in good conscience. So he breathed deeply, letting his heart relax, and made his way to Selaka's house.

~~~~~ 

The silence of the room was broken by a gentle knock on the stone doorstep.

“...come in.”

Esteban hesitantly did so, looking around. There was no one around the house but the two of them, and the salt lamp has been put off, bathing it in darkness. It was silent when he arrived, without a noise or a move, and yet Karsha had been there all along. Sitting on the ground, looking at something in his hands; his tattoos were faintly glowing in the darkness. Esteban couldn't see very well what was happening, so he just sat down on the woven mat flooring, in the ray of light coming from the door. 

“Did I disturb you?”, he asked, worried.

“...no. It's fine.”

He didn't sound very happy. Esteban knew his presence here must have been for something. He didn't look at him right away, trying to find his words.

“I...I wanted to talk to you. About...what happened these past few days.”

Immediately, he added:

“It's nothing bad! Really. I...I just had things I need to say.”

Karsha didn't move, still staring at a tapestry on the wall. Esteban continued.

“I wanted to...to apologize. I've said horrible things about you, and...and I know it hurt you. I've thought it over, and I realized I've been a jerk.”

He didn't say anything. But slowly, he stood up, and went to sit in front of Esteban. In the darkness, his eyes were slightly glowing as well, like a cat's. It looked a little creepy, but it gave Esteban some idea of his facial expression. With the way his brows, cheeks and lips were painted, he could actually see the whole of it. He tried to see what he was holding, but it was wrapped up in a way that made it unidentifiable.

“I heard you'll be leaving soon.”, he said. “Is that right?”

“...yes. We have a mission to do, and we can't stay here forever. It's of utmost importance that we find the seventh City of Gold.”

“You've said so. I believe you.”

There was some tension in the room, thicker than the dark. But he tried to fight it, to ignore it.

“I don't want to leave on bad terms.”, he said. “I don't want to do this to you. I want to remember my time in the Abyss as a good time, as with any other place I've been to.”

Karsha didn't answer. But the way he had his eyes down betrayed what he was thinking. His hand clenched a little, but not out of anger, he could tell so. 

“I...I want to make it a good memory, too.”, he admitted. “It's a historical event...the first time we've ever been visited by other people. And yet...the more I look back at it, the more it feels...bitter.”

“I know what you feel.”

His actions didn't simply make him look like a jerk. In behaving like one, he was giving the Abyssals their first impression of the surface, in that they were just like him: insensitive, selfish, intolerant. There was no way they'd want to ever make further contact with the rest of the world, if it proved to be this way. And honestly, it was better off for them: surely meeting Spaniards and similar people would not end well. But he wouldn't say that.

“...I love it here.”, Esteban said after a moment. “It's so deep underwater, and yet it's so colorful, and full of life. It's a beautiful place.”

“Well...I'm sure there are many more like it on the shalaya. You've been to many places, after all.”

“I have, but...”

He looked down, a little sheepish.

“The Abyss is...truly unique. I've never seen anything like it. It's like you guys are one with nature, like...like you're the only ones that have stayed true to the old world.”

“Perhaps. I've never had anything to compare us with.”

“I've had, and trust me. It's striking.”

He wasn't sure of what he wanted to say. He wasn't even sure why he came here in the first place. He just knew he had to speak with Karsha, and make some form of amends before they were to leave the Abyss, probably to never return. That did give him some ideas, which he thought wouldn't be wasted in suggesting.

“You could...come with us.”, he offered. “There's room in the Kalium. We'd show you the surface, what it looks like, and when you come back, you can tell everyone.”

Karsha blinked, taken aback by such an offer. His eyes darted with thoughts at the idea, which Esteban knew couldn't be so simple.

“I...I don't know.”, he said, his voice slightly trembling. “What if something happens? What if the surface air kills me somehow?”

“Well, I come from the surface, and I'm fine in the Abyss. It should be the same for you.”

It could work, he thought. Now that Mendoza, Sancho and Pedro had gone, there was more than enough room in the Condor. He could come fly with them, see the world from a brand new perspective, and be the first Atlantean in thousands of years to come back from the depths of the ocean.

But to Esteban's surprise, Karsha softly shook his head.

“I appreciate your offer.”, he said. “But my place is here. As a hunter, I have a duty to my people, and I can't leave them to work while I have fun with you.”

“Are you sure…? One person more or less won't make a difference.”

“But it does. Everyone makes a difference. Just one person can change the dynamics of a team, and one disappearance makes things so much harder. We've already lost Scomber Sho'varari a few days ago, we...”

He got silent for a moment, as if he's caught himself. His hands tightened around what he was holding.

“...I can't come. That's all.”

“...I understand. It's alright.”

The tension felt like it had gone thicker. But now or never was the time to address it. Esteban breathed in slowly, hoping his nervousness away, and spoke.

“I know you and I are different. We've lived very different lives, and I can't pretend I know what you've been through. But you've said it: we're the same. We both descend from the people of Atlantis, the most open-minded and kind people there ever was. So...so the least I can do is to realize it.”

Gently, his hand laid on Karsha's. 

“I've been a jerk to you, when I shouldn't have. If I focus on what's making us different, then I can never appreciate how similar we are. We may be...different, yes, but we're alike in so many ways. And that goes for our peoples, too.”

“Does it? You didn't seem enchanted...”

“I know. I've been wondering a lot about my origins, and I've made up my own idea of what Atlanteans were like...so when I met you guys, it clashed a bit with that idea. But I shouldn't have acted like it's your fault. It just isn't. You're...you're the kindest, greatest people I could ever hope to meet, and you're more Atlantean than I ever could be. In the end, it's I that should be more like you.”

He looked up, meeting eyes with Karsha, who seemed completely taken aback. His eyes had used to the darkness, and he could see his face better. Part of it was still shrouded, where his skin was darker, and it made it seem so weird. But that's just how he was. 

What big eyes he had. It gave him a rather cute look, like a child's face. But most of all, he could still make out the golden hue of his irises. Despite everything, despite all the ways their bloodline has changed and evolved, they still shared that one trait, that one little something that no one else in the world had. That one thing that all of Atlantis and its children had in common, for a reason he _still_ couldn't understand.

But it didn't really matter, anyway. It just was, and he didn't want to say anything about it. Why bother? That wouldn't change things. Sometimes, it was easier to just...accept it.

Tentatively, he tried the Abyssal way, and opened his arms. Karsha looked at him for a moment, unsure, and Esteban nodded. And then, the two of them embraced, and it felt like a weight lifting off his shoulders. It felt like second nature, like it couldn't happen any other way. And he loved it.

They parted after a moment, and already did his heart feel a little lighter. Speaking of light, Karsha decided to let it return to the room; he stood up, and went to light up the salt lamp, using the stone pommel of his knife like a flintstone. Light eventually returned to the house, and Esteban could see things a little better, including the wrapped item Karsha had left on the ground. 

“What's that?”, he asked, naturally.

Karsha turned to see what he was referring to, and it was obvious Esteban wasn't supposed to see it.

“It's...it's something I was working on.”, he said, a little shyly. “For Corhyn.”

He blinked. Has he heard that name before?

“That's...Scomber's partner, isn't it?”

“Yes. She's been doing...well, not very good. So I wanted to cheer her up.”

He sat down in front of him, and unwrapped the item. It was some sort of jewel, made of small opals mounted in carved bone, in the shape of a comb or a brooch. It was obviously a work in progress, but it was still very well-made, and quite beautiful.

“Did you make this?”, Esteban asked, impressed.

“I'm a bit of a crafter too.”, he admitted sheepishly. “I thought she'd like to have something pretty, to make her smile.”

“It's very kind of you. She's going to love it.”

He smiled, a bit embarrassed now.

“You know...if you're going away soon, I'd like to give you something too. So you remember us.”

“You don't need to, Karsha. I'll remember you whatever happens.”

“But I want to. I love making little things. It makes people happy.”

“I mean...if you insist, I won't stop you, I guess.”

He shrugged, but that was enough to make Karsha smile. He was quite endearing when he wanted, and it was nice to see him happy after all that tension.

He'd miss it terribly. But for now...nothing was pressing, was it? He could stay a little longer.


	10. The Most Precious Thing in the World

“I will miss you very much...”, Selaka said sadly. “Please be safe on the way home.”

Tao wanted to answer, but he was currently being squeezed so tight that it just wasn't possible. What strong hugs than those of a doting host mother! Yet it was hard to blame her, for she was trying to pour as much love as possible into a single embrace, that the poor boy would have enough to last him a lifetime. 

“It's going to be strange returning to the surface.”, Zia sighed. “I'll miss you all.”

She said it with her hands along with her mouth, albeit a little slowly, and her healer friends returned the feeling. Just by seeing the complicity of their little group, it was obvious she's made good use of her time here, and would leave with a lot of memories. Making friends in the most unlikely places of all really was a talent, it seemed.

“Here. Take this with you.”, one of the healers said, as he handed her a small sealskin bag. “You might need it.”

“Why, thank you...oh, herbs? That might be very useful indeed!”

“If they don't grow on the shalaya, then you'll have some on hand. Well, unless you eat them.”

“Don't worry, there's no seabread on the surface either.”

And they laughed, recalling some private joke only they were privy to. Esteban watched them for a moment, before his attention turned back to the people in front of him.

“Wh- no, wait, we can't take that!”, he told one of them. “It's too much!”

“...is it?”, the hunter asked, looking at the nice chunk of gowren meat they were holding. “But that'll last you weeks!”

“The journey won't even be that long! It won't last more than a day. We've got enough food, thank you very much...”

How else could it be? With everyone wanting to make sure the children had enough supplies for the journey back, the Kalium's small storage space had quickly been filled with food, freshwater and even seal furs. They'd have to carry on even after returning to the surface, so that was always good to have, but at this point the Condor might not even be able to fly with all that surplus in tow!

“I promise. We've got more than enough. Keep it for yourselves, don't you always stress how you need to fend off starvation?”

“We can hunt food anytime we need.”, someone replied. “But an occasion like this one might never come back again. It's worth it!”

“That, and you're awfully scrawny. You need to put some meat on those bones, kiddo!”

There was a playful chuckle around, and a hearty pat on his shoulder. Esteban smiled along, knowing they had good intentions despite the strange execution. 

“Well...that's very nice of you.”, he answered. “But it all comes down to what the Kalium can carry, in the end. I'm not sure all that generosity can fit in such a small craft.”

Not far, Tao had been freed from Selaka's tender hugs, and was checking his book again. At some point, he came closer to the hunters' group, relieving Esteban of all their overbearing presence. 

“I need to make sure of our path.”, he said. “You said right after the three peaks, is that it?”

“That's right.”, one hunter said, looking at Tao's hand-drawn map. “There should be a deep crevice around there, just a little further.”

“That's as far as we were ever able to go. There's sharp downward currents that make it too dangerous to swim, but your giant crab should have no problem going across.”

“If there are remains of the Wardragon in the area, they've likely been sucked in. Doesn't hurt to find out!”

He closed his book, put it back in his sleeve. Pichu landed on his head soon after, tired from playing with the younger children all morning. 

“Well...I guess this is goodbye.”, Esteban said. “I'm not sure if we'll ever come back, but...”

“Now that we know you're here, we'll definitely try to. And don't you give up on returning to the surface! There's got to be a way, and we'll find it.”

“With the way you've been speaking of it, that does make me curious. But nothing's hurrying, anyway. Take your sweet time!”

It's true that everything would be fine for the Abyssals if they were to never leave the Abyss. They were used to it, after all. But that doesn't mean Esteban and his friends wouldn't try anyway. It was the right thing to do, after all.

“There's...something I'm not sure about.”, he said. “Should we tell people that you're here? That...that Atlantis still exists, at the bottom of the ocean?”

“That wouldn't go so well.”, Zia replied, coming closer. “Even if...well, it's near impossible to get to the Abyss, I'm sure some would try to conquer it. The surface world may be full of good things, but some people are just twisted enough to do that.”

“Not like many would believe us, anyway.”

“Indeed not.”

There was a slight scuffle in the gathered crowd, at the approach of that voice. For indeed, Elder Netiala herself had come to see the children away, as expected.

“Whether or not Nemishta ever joins back with the land and the sky is of little importance.”, she said. “Whatever happens to us, we will live through it. If we ever have to be reborn, then the world will know our name; but until then, the remains of Atlantis will peacefully slumber in the ocean, undisturbed by the matters of Shalaya.”

It seemed reasonable enough. It's not like the children weren't keeping many secrets already, anyway; the world would go on, and Nemishta would stay where it was, until the day it was ready to come back. Esteban simply hoped it would happen during his lifetime, so he could have the knowledge that his actions have helped people who truly needed it.

They deserved it, too.

“Goodbye, my children.”, the Elder spoke. “May Mother Coyolite guide you with her light. May your quest find its respite, and your questions find their answers.”

And she touched to their shoulders in turn, very solemnly. Like the most friendly of honors. Esteban wasn't sure of how to react, so he politely bowed his head, a little sheepishly. 

“We won't forget you.”, Zia said. “Even if no one knows about the Abyss, we will.”

They will. How could they ever forget such an experience? It was mind-shattering, no other way.

Tao made his way up the Kalium's leg, entering in not without a last wave to the crowd. It's like everyone had come to see them go, and it was so touching to see. Where else would they ever get such a warm welcome, than in a place that had never seen any visitors? It felt like embraces would never end, seeing as Zia had to be held by many, many people before she could finally go up in turn.

Esteban looked around as she climbed, not sure if he was supposed to say anything. He wasn't very good at farewells, it'd always end up in tears somehow. He'd rather cut it short, or else he'd never leave at all; as if answering his subconscious thought, his eyes darted to a random point in the crowd, to meet none other than those that have haunted him during all his stay in Nemishta.

He was standing just as awkwardly, hands wrung together. When their eyes locked, he quickly shifted his gaze away, feet anxiously rubbing the floor. Next to him, Selaka noticed this, and looked at Esteban for a moment; then, she gently nudged her child forward, as if to encourage him. Karsha looked at her, unsure, but her kind smile must have done the job well enough, for he stepped forward after a moment.

Oh boy. Here we go, Esteban thought.

“...hey there. So...hope you're not too sad, heh?”

“...I'm very sad, actually.”

Well, that's one way to put it. At least he knew what he was feeling.

“I...I wanted to give you something.”, Karsha said. “I said I would, and I wouldn't want to break a promise.”

“Really? I...I didn't know it was a promise.”

“You're leaving now, so I won't have the chance to do it later. I don't like to doubt, it's a waste of time.”

And he handed Esteban a small, long item, wrapped in sealeaves.

“It's not much. But...it's the most precious thing I own. I have the feeling it needs to be in your hands more than anyone else's.”

The most precious thing…? Esteban stare at it, a little worried. Whose bones would it be? Whose dead flesh could it be, presented to him like a gift? His hand hesitantly hovered on the gift, unsure of whether he was ready to take this step at all, but something told him Karsha wouldn't be this perverse. He knew very well how it'd make him feel. So Esteban decided to trust him, and accepted the item. It was hard under his fingers, and rather light; when he unwrapped the leaves, he did not find anything off-white or red, but brown.

“That's...”

It was...a splinter. A large wood splinter, the size of his dagger, and whittled to look like one. It had a sharp, polished blade with visible rings, and a handle wrapped in leather painted with beautiful designs. He took it in hand, amazed by the craft: it was a little big, but fit comfortably in his grasp.

“...where did you get this?”, he asked, realization slowly hitting. “There's no...how…?”

“It's ringstone. It's maybe the most rare material there is. I...I knew I'd always want to give it to someone special, so I thought...”

Esteban blinked, taken aback. 

“You...don't know what this is?”

Karsha shook his head. Obviously he wouldn't know about wood, or trees or branches or anything. For wood of all things to end up at the bottom of the ocean…?

“Wait. Do you mean...you actually know what it is?”

“Of course I do!”

He laughed a bit, surprised by the sheer weirdness of the situation.

“No wonder it's rare. That's...that's wood. I told you about trees, right?”

“I...think I recall. It's the big green things, yes?”

“Well, trees produce wood, which is...well, that. To find it so far out in the ocean...where did you get it?”

“Not sure. Ringstone is rare to obtain, we only ever find broken pieces at a time.”

“...shipwrecks. That must come from a sunken ship!”

He looked at Karsha, his eyes full of wonder, and it hit him just how different their worlds were. Esteban had never considered wood a rare resource, or given it any peculiar value. But to Karsha, a mere splinter from a ship's floorboard was the most valuable thing he'd ever touch, to the point he'd make it into a beautiful craft to only gift someone special.

Esteban's heart throbbed. There was no way he could go, not while these people were missing out on so many things.

“On the surface...wood is very common.”, he said. “There's trees everywhere, like oceans of green on the land. We use it to make ships, that take us all over the world. We...we can make it into so many things, you have no idea.”

Karsha blinked, surprised by this, and Esteban followed.

“To us, it's...it's like bones, to you. We build our houses with it! Our weapons! And the most amazing part is that, since trees grow, we can make it in infinite quantities if we wanted to!”

There were several gasps around, as his words spread to the crowd still gathered by the Kalium. More than one worldview would be turned around, it seemed. Esteban himself wasn't sure of why he felt the urge to say that. But he felt it wouldn't be right to lie to a friend.

“And it's the same for so many things. There's metal, there's paper, there's silk, there's...there's grain, fruits, wool, and all the wonders left by the people of Mu! There's so much good the surface has to offer, so much that…!”

He wasn't sure what to say anymore. But he wanted to say it. He looked at the splinter knife, realizing the weight of his words, and tucked it in his belt. 

“I wish I could give you something in return.”, he said. “But I have nothing. So instead, I'll make a promise. I'll make it to all of you!”

He didn't know what drove him to grab Karsha's hand, and yet he did so. The sheer warmth of his palm surprised him, and he focused on it like a lifeline.

“There's so much you've got to see. There's such a huge world outside of the Abyss. That's why I promise that one day, I'll show it to you. Even if it takes ages, I'll try all I can, because that's the least you deserve.”

He looked at Karsha, who was still completely taken aback. His eyes seemed bigger than they ever were, sparkling with unsaid excitement at the premises of this big great world out there.

But then, he blinked, and gently smiled at him.

“It sure sounds great. But...I doubt any of this can top the treasure you've already shown me.”

“What treasure?”

He didn't answer. Instead, he pulled Esteban closer, and embraced him with all the strength he could muster. It felt tight, it felt suffocating, it felt warm, but most of all, it felt really good.

“...oh, I get it.”, he chuckled, returning the hug.

He was so soft, not just his clothes. That kelp scent was definitely starting to grow on him, too.

“...this isn't farewell.”, he said in a low voice. “Just a goodbye.”

“There's no such thing as a farewell. We're always bound to meet again at some point.”

He parted away on this cryptic answer. Just as they drew apart, their faces briefly brushed together, and it felt like a gentle tingle coursed through his skin. He blinked, looking at Karsha, wondering if he had shone him somehow; but he knew it wasn't the case. It was just...him, that's all. Their eyes met, and they didn't move for a moment. But then, very gently, their faces got closer again, and their foreheads touched together in a delicate nuzzle. Without knowing why, Esteban closed his eyes, letting it happen, and breathed a gentle sigh of happiness. And this time, when they parted, he knew what had just happened. 

...well. Alright, he'd concede: that one counted as a first kiss. On the moment, it just felt so natural that he didn't even question it; and now, he felt like chuckling bashfully. Karsha did the same, a little surprised too, and with good reason.

“So...I think it's time to go.”

Esteban nodded, parting from his embrace with a difficulty he hadn't foreseen. He climbed up the crab's leg, and from there he could see all those people of the Abyss that have come to say goodbye, even without they even knew him that much. In other circumstances, in other times, maybe Esteban would have been one of them, born and raised in this city away from everything else. That made him quite thoughtful, but he decided to save it for another day.

He took his place in the Kalium, readied the engine. The crab tank came back to life, its spindly legs slowly spreading in place as the saltwater batteries whirred away. He put the control key back in its slot, and the controls opened up to him; slowly, he stepped out of the barrier, into the ocean, carried by the waves and cheers of people that accompanied them like so many bubbles of air. One last step, another turn, and the vehicle fully submerged back into the cold ocean, ready to take this long journey ahead of it.

“I can't wait to come back.”, Zia said with hope. “Maybe when all is over, the technology of the Cities of Gold can help them.”

“It will be a great day for Atlantis.”

A great day indeed. Esteban tried to think about what it would be like, or when it would take place. He'd be a bit older by then, mostly likely “come of age” in Abyssal terms. What did that mean for him? He didn't know. He glanced down at the splinter knife, a strange thought crossing his mind, but unlike all the other times he didn't shove it away. For now, all he figured was that it could wait a little longer.

Just a little. 

He held onto the commands, and tilted forward. The Kalium started its swimming walk over the seafloor, ready to ascend back into the light. And yet, in that moment, there was nothing brighter in the whole world than Nemishta, the City of the Abyss.

**Author's Note:**

> So, here we are.
> 
> I wanted this to be much longer. But meanwhile, Season 4 dropped, a'd I got sudden new ideas that I just *had* to develop. Yet I had to finish this one first, because I hate leaving wips undone.
> 
> This didn't go the way I intended to, but it's fine. At least we have an "official" story of Esteban and the team's time in the Abyss, and cool insights on Nemishtari culture. And most of all we're got Karsha. He a good bean.


End file.
